Olfactory reference syndrome symptoms in Chinese university students: Phenomenology, associated impairment, and clinical correlates

Abstract

Background: The present study aimed to explore the phenomenology, associated impairment, and clinical correlates of olfactory reference syndrome (ORS) symptoms in a Chinese university student sample, and establish estimated ORS prevalence.

Methods: A total of 421 undergraduate students completed self-report measures assessing symptoms of ORS, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, stress, taijin kyofushu, fear of negative evaluation, and ORS-related functional impairment.

Results: Higher ORS symptom severity was moderately associated with poorer insight, greater avoidance, and higher ORS-related functional impairment. ORS severity was weakly associated with increased comorbid disorder symptoms, and was not associated with gender. Clinically significant ORS symptoms were present in 2.4% of the sample.

Discussion: Collectively, these findings suggest that ORS symptoms are relatively distinct from other disorders in a non-clinical sample. Future studies are encouraged to further explore the phenomenology, etiology, neurobiology, and treatment of ORS in order to inform diagnosis and nosology.