To investigate the psychological characteristics of patients with refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder in employment or unemployment.

Ninty eight patients with refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder from May 2009 to October 2015 were selected into the study. The patients were divided into the employed group(56 cases) and the unemployed group (42 cases). The evaluation of egna minnen barndoms uppfostran (EMBU) and defense style questionnaire (DSQ) of the two groups were compared. All the data were analyzed by SPSS 12.0.

In the way of parenting, the warmth factor of the employed group was higher than that of unemployed group, the two groups have significant differences (P<0.05). In psychological defense mechanisms scale, the evading factor of the employed group was lower than that of unemployed group, the two groups have significant differences (P<0.05).

Unemployment puts more pressure on patients, that will harm to rehabilitation, and the psychological characteristics also influence emplyment of the patients with refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder. Improve the professional competence of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder is an important aspect of the patients return to society.