Abstract

Objective: Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating condition affecting a considerable population of adults. Previous findings have indicated that OCD patients suffer from a wide range of neuropsychological impairments. The aim of the present research is to assess the memory functions in OCD. Method: The study followed a causal-comparative design. Thirty OCD patients and thirty healthy controls were selected using convenience sampling method from the population of OCD patients and staffs of the psychiatric centers in Shiraz, Iran. OCD patients and the controls were matched by their gender, age, and IQ. Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ), Digit Span (WAIS-R), and Raven's Progressive Matrices were used to collect the required data. Data were analyzed using MANOVA and independent t-test. Results: Results showed that individuals with OCD had significantly weaker performance in prospective and retrospective memory in comparison with the healthy control group. However, no significant difference was found between groups’ short-term memory. In addition, OCD patients who suffer from severe OC symptoms had a significantly weaker performance on their prospective and retrospective memory. Conclusion: The results of study have concluded that OCD patients may have a weaker prospective and retrospective memory. Furthermore, symptom severity can affect patients’ prospective and retrospective memory.