Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Children and Adolescents

Early Identification and Intervention in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

“…To date, the pathogenesis and course of pediatric OCD remain unknown, with a likely combination of various genetic, neurobiological, environmental and psychological factors [ 20 ]. The unclear etiology makes it difficult for clinical scholars to target the precise direction of primary prevention for pediatric OCD.…”

“…It takes time and effort for parents to adjust to their child’s compulsive behaviors; therefore, a child’s compulsion or avoidance is not tolerated every time. When a parent refuses to accept the behavior of their child with pediatric OCD, the child may show anger or behavioral outbursts [ 141 , 142 ]; in addition, the parent may feel guilty or have more blame expressed toward the patient [ 20 , 143 ]. All of these can affect treatment outcomes [ 144 ].…”

“…There are many ways that parents can be involved in their child’s OCD treatment process. Psychoeducation is one of the available forms; it can be conducted for parents alone or as part of family-based CBT (FCBT) treatment for different purposes, such as increasing parents’ knowledge of mental health, helping create a more supportive family environment, improving their parenting styles and raising parents’ awareness of FA [ 20 ]. Furthermore, FCBT interventions include teaching parents to reduce FA, training them to assist their children with homework and ERP therapy and helping parents identify and cope with the pain and anxiety they feel when facing their child’s OCD [ 145 , 146 , 147 , 148 ].…”

“…Studies have shown that these FCBT techniques have similar effects on parents and OCD children [ 145 ]. Parents should also learn to properly communicate with their children about thoughts and emotions [ 20 ]. Group FCBT has also provided a new approach to parental involvement, although the current evidence suggests that it is not as effective as individual FCBT [ 145 ].…”