Post-Secondary Students with Obsessive-compulsive Disorder: An Interpretative Phenomenological Approach Linking Persistence and Quality of Life Insights

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory study was to develop a deeper understanding of educational and other social experiences and relationships of post-secondary students who were clinically diagnosed with primary obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The researcher also investigated their strengths, weaknesses, coping strategies, and quality of life through mental and physical health. The majority of people with OCD have obsessions and compulsions that last greater than an hour each day or severely impact daily life. Obsessions are irritating feelings or mental pictures that individuals try to block or mitigate with irrational physical or mental compulsions, often appearing as excessive hand washing in reaction to a contamination obsession. Participants comprised seven university students who completed three self-report questionnaires and two semi-structured interviews with the researcher. Five participants submitted self-report journals. These data were examined using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).The present study advanced previous research as it documented extensive lifelong characteristics, experiences, and relationships from these students. It yielded salient findings related to their OCD functional impairment and quality of life. Further, it showed that as students, their intellectual integration seemed to play a greater role in academic persistence than did their social integration. In addition, participants’ university policy and practice recommendations were congruent with a similar study from about a decade ago indicating that perhaps few or none of the past recommendations were implemented for the benefit of such students. Present recommendations should be implemented accordingly.