Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and related risk and protective factors in Black individuals in Canada

BackgroundData from the United States showed that Black individuals face unique issues related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, Canadian research on OCD among Black individuals remains very limited. The present study aims to document obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms and related ris...

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Main Authors: Elisabeth Dromer, Grace Jacob, Monnica T. Williams, Seyed Mohammad Mahdi Moshirian Farahi, Wina Darius, Cary Samuel Kogan, Jude Mary Cénat
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1422900/full
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author Elisabeth Dromer
Elisabeth Dromer
Grace Jacob
Grace Jacob
Monnica T. Williams
Monnica T. Williams
Seyed Mohammad Mahdi Moshirian Farahi
Wina Darius
Wina Darius
Cary Samuel Kogan
Cary Samuel Kogan
Jude Mary Cénat
Jude Mary Cénat
author_facet Elisabeth Dromer
Elisabeth Dromer
Grace Jacob
Grace Jacob
Monnica T. Williams
Monnica T. Williams
Seyed Mohammad Mahdi Moshirian Farahi
Wina Darius
Wina Darius
Cary Samuel Kogan
Cary Samuel Kogan
Jude Mary Cénat
Jude Mary Cénat
author_sort Elisabeth Dromer
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundData from the United States showed that Black individuals face unique issues related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, Canadian research on OCD among Black individuals remains very limited. The present study aims to document obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms and related risk and protective factors in Black individuals aged 15 to 40 years old in Canada.MethodsA total of 860 Black individuals (75.6% female) aged 15–40 years were recruited as part of the Black Community Mental Health in Canada (BcoMHealth) project. Independent t-tests, ANOVA, and multivariable linear regressions were used to assess OC symptom severity and identify risk and protective factors.ResultsBlack individuals presented high levels of OC symptoms. Results showed that Black individuals born in Canada experienced more OC symptoms compared to those born abroad. Results also showed that there were no differences between Black women, Black men, and those who identified their sex as “other.” Everyday discrimination, internalized racism, and microaggressions positively predicted OC symptoms, while social support negatively predicted OC symptoms.LimitationsLimitations of this study include its cross-sectional nature, which prevents us from establishing causal links, not assessing for the clinical diagnosis of OCD, and using self-report measures. Results support that different forms of racial discrimination contribute to the development and severity of OC symptoms in Black individuals in Canada. Social support may play a protective role for those individuals. These factors must be considered in future research and in the assessment and treatment of Black individuals with OCD.
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spelling doaj-art-c3e2f008293645ae87472c2fd7dc86212025-08-20T03:16:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-03-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.14229001422900Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and related risk and protective factors in Black individuals in CanadaElisabeth Dromer0Elisabeth Dromer1Grace Jacob2Grace Jacob3Monnica T. Williams4Monnica T. Williams5Seyed Mohammad Mahdi Moshirian Farahi6Wina Darius7Wina Darius8Cary Samuel Kogan9Cary Samuel Kogan10Jude Mary Cénat11Jude Mary Cénat12Interdisciplinary Centre for Black Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaInterdisciplinary Centre for Black Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaInterdisciplinary Centre for Black Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, CanadaSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaInterdisciplinary Centre for Black Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaInterdisciplinary Centre for Black Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaBackgroundData from the United States showed that Black individuals face unique issues related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, Canadian research on OCD among Black individuals remains very limited. The present study aims to document obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms and related risk and protective factors in Black individuals aged 15 to 40 years old in Canada.MethodsA total of 860 Black individuals (75.6% female) aged 15–40 years were recruited as part of the Black Community Mental Health in Canada (BcoMHealth) project. Independent t-tests, ANOVA, and multivariable linear regressions were used to assess OC symptom severity and identify risk and protective factors.ResultsBlack individuals presented high levels of OC symptoms. Results showed that Black individuals born in Canada experienced more OC symptoms compared to those born abroad. Results also showed that there were no differences between Black women, Black men, and those who identified their sex as “other.” Everyday discrimination, internalized racism, and microaggressions positively predicted OC symptoms, while social support negatively predicted OC symptoms.LimitationsLimitations of this study include its cross-sectional nature, which prevents us from establishing causal links, not assessing for the clinical diagnosis of OCD, and using self-report measures. Results support that different forms of racial discrimination contribute to the development and severity of OC symptoms in Black individuals in Canada. Social support may play a protective role for those individuals. These factors must be considered in future research and in the assessment and treatment of Black individuals with OCD.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1422900/fullobsessive-compulsive disordereveryday racial discriminationinternalized racismracial microaggressionssocial supportBlack individuals in Canada
spellingShingle Elisabeth Dromer
Elisabeth Dromer
Grace Jacob
Grace Jacob
Monnica T. Williams
Monnica T. Williams
Seyed Mohammad Mahdi Moshirian Farahi
Wina Darius
Wina Darius
Cary Samuel Kogan
Cary Samuel Kogan
Jude Mary Cénat
Jude Mary Cénat
Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and related risk and protective factors in Black individuals in Canada
Frontiers in Psychology
obsessive-compulsive disorder
everyday racial discrimination
internalized racism
racial microaggressions
social support
Black individuals in Canada
title Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and related risk and protective factors in Black individuals in Canada
title_full Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and related risk and protective factors in Black individuals in Canada
title_fullStr Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and related risk and protective factors in Black individuals in Canada
title_full_unstemmed Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and related risk and protective factors in Black individuals in Canada
title_short Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and related risk and protective factors in Black individuals in Canada
title_sort obsessive compulsive symptoms and related risk and protective factors in black individuals in canada
topic obsessive-compulsive disorder
everyday racial discrimination
internalized racism
racial microaggressions
social support
Black individuals in Canada
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1422900/full
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