Another reason studies have found different results might be that researchers don't all define "mild OCD symptoms" the same way. For example, one study said people had mild symptoms if they had obsessions or compulsions but weren't very distressed or impaired by them. Another study said people had mild symptoms if they had obsessions or compulsions and either felt distressed OR had some impairment. These different definitions might explain why estimates of how common mild symptoms are vary so much more than estimates of full OCD. Since mild OCD symptoms might be a warning sign that someone could develop full OCD later, researchers should agree on a standard definition of mild symptoms. This would help clarify how common they are, whether they affect men and women differently, and what puts someone at risk for developing full OCD.