As you might know, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by intrusive thoughts known as obsessions. To cope with these intrusive thoughts, individuals with OCD generally resort to repetitive behaviours known as compulsions.
These obsessions and compulsions can be distressing, impacting the person’s daily functioning. But does OCD impact an individual’s intelligence as well? The answer to this question is quite complex. While some research suggests that people with OCD may have lower IQ, other research suggests that OCD may impact only certain cognitive functions. Let’s look at the impact of OCD on IQ in depth.
The Relationship Between OCD and IQ
OCD and IQ share a complicated relationship, to say the least. There are studies to suggest that people with OCD may have lower IQs than those who don’t, while there have also been claims that OCD may be an indication of superior IQ. However, this notion has been debunked by research. That being said, research has found that OCD can disrupt various cognitive functions involving processing, attention and memory.
Research on OCD and IQ
A meta-analysis was conducted in 2017 to study if people with OCD have higher IQs as compared to people without OCD. The study found that people with OCD have an average or slightly lower IQ in comparison with others. The study also found that people with OCD may struggle with tasks related to problem-solving and visual-spatial memory as they are likely to have a lower performance IQ (PIQ). These findings indicate that OCD may lead to cognitive deficits.
Another meta-analysis published in 2020 analysed 108 studies on OCD and IQ. These studies involved more than 6,000 people with OCD. Post-analysis, the researchers found people with OCD had significantly lower IQs than people without OCD, suggesting that OCD may indeed influence IQ.
Another study from 2020 had findings that contradict the above research studies. These researchers studied the intelligence of 82 children and adolescents with OCD in comparison with children without OCD and found that children with OCD are likely to have average IQ in comparison with other children, suggesting that youth with OCD do not have major intellectual deficiencies.
OCD and It’s Impact On Cognitive Functioning
In a study published in 2020, it was found that people with OCD had performance deficits in tasks that involved memory, thus they are likely to have delayed memory. The research also found that people with OCD are likely to struggle with attention, response prevention and switching between different tasks (alteration learning). However, researchers also found that people with OCD have good executive function, which suggests that they are likely to do well in tasks that need planning, decision making and verbal fluency.
While recent research may suggest that people with OCD may have good executive function, previous research published in 2013 had contradictory findings. The research in 2013 found that people with OCD are likely to struggle with tasks such as planning and decision-making due to lowered executive functioning. They may also have deficits in visual memory, making it difficult for them to remember complex visual information However, the impact of these cognitive difficulties on OCD patients is generally moderate. In conclusion, the researchers advocated for further studies to validate and reaffirm these findings.
Conclusion:
In summary, there are various contradicting reports on the impact of OCD on IQ. While some studies suggest that people with OCD have lower IQs, other studies suggest that people with OCD may have average IQs. However, there are multiple studies to suggest that OCD may cause some cognitive deficits related to impulse control, attention and memory. In the end, it is important to know that the impact of OCD can be managed through medication and therapy, so OCD does not have to stop individuals from living their lives to the fullest.
References:
- Abramovitch, A., Anholt, G., Raveh-Gottfried, S., Hamo, N., & Abramowitz, J. S. (2018). Meta-Analysis of Intelligence Quotient (IQ) in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Neuropsychology Review, 28(1), 111–120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-017-9358-0
- Aycicegi, A., Dinn, W. M., Harris, C. L., & Erkmen, H. (2003). Neuropsychological function in obsessive-compulsive disorder: Effects of comorbid conditions on task performance. European Psychiatry, 18(5), 241–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-9338(03)00065-8
- Batistuzzo, M. C., de Marco e Souza, M., Bernardes, E. T., Requena, G., Miguel, E. C., & Shavitt, R. G. (2020). Intelligence quotient (IQ) in pediatric patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 26, 100548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2020.100548
- Hu, L., Hao, Y., Liu, S., Kang, H., Qin, L., Zeng, Z., Abdelrahim, M. E. A., & Tan, Y. (2020). Intelligence quotient level and treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders: Meta-analyses. Medical Hypotheses, 144, 109995. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109995
- Shin, N. Y., Lee, T. Y., Kim, E., & Kwon, J. S. (2014). Cognitive functioning in obsessive-compulsive disorder: A meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, 44(6), 1121–1130. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291713001803
