Date of Award

1997

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Art

First Advisor

Pamela Nickels

Second Advisor

Becky McKenna

Third Advisor

Jacquelyn Fischer

Abstract

This research project thoroughly examines Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder to see if there are any gender differences between compulsive washers and checkers. The null hypothesis is that there are no gender differences between the compulsions of washing and checking. Thirty-one subjects from a local self-help group voluntarily participated in this study. Of the thirty-one participants, thirteen were men and eighteen were women. The Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory was used to obtain total obsessions scores, as well as washing and checking scores. The mean scores for men and women for the total obsessions scale were compared. The women reported a higher number of compulsions then the men. The Pearson chi-square statistic was used to determine if there was a correlation between washing and checking compulsions, and gender. The results of the statistics revealed there were no gender differences between the compulsions of washing and checking.

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Psychology Commons

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