Obsessive‐compulsive symptoms in childhood and adolescence

Abstract

We investigated 61 patients (38 boys and 23 girls) under 18 years of age with obsessive-compulsive symptoms seen in the Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Hospital, from 1982 until 1986. In this period, a total of 1293 patients under 18 years of age visited the clinic. The percentage of patients with obsessive-compulsive symptoms was 5%. The earliest onset of symptoms was at age 3 years, and the average age of onset was 11.6 years. We found no particular tendency in terms of the number of siblings and the birth order of the patients. Obsessive traits were the fundamental personality traits of patients. Moreover, according to the other characteristics of personality, the patients were subdivided into schizothymic, viscous temperament, and cyclothymic. Parents of the patients were more apt than usual to have obsessive-compulsive personalities. Psychiatric disturbances and occupations were also investigated. Incidents related to school situations commonly triggered obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The most frequently noted obsessive thought was dirt phobia, and the most common compulsive behavior was washing. School refusal and violence at home were especially common as associated symptoms of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. We also describe the treatment regimen and the outcomes of the patients.

Children and Adolescents with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Analysis of Sociodemographic Background

“…A preponderance of boys was found in the OCD group, which is also previously reported in some extensive studies of OCD in children and adolescents [15,17,19,28,29], Riddle et al [10], however, reported almost equal repre sentation of boys and girls.…”

Obsessive-compulsive disorder in children and adolescents. A 6-22-year follow-up study. Clinical descriptions of the course and continuity of obsessive-compulsive symptomatology

“…Zeitlin (1986) described symptomatology in a few adults who were admitted in both adulthood and childhood with OCD, and found that the consistency of symptoms was very high. The chnical picture seen in children and adults seem in many ways to be alike, although children seem to have less pure obsessions than adults (Honjo et al, 1989;Swedo et al, 1989;R.apoport, 1986;Khanna & Srinath, 1988), but to the author's knowledge no follow-up study has so far demonstrated the intra-individual phenomenological stability of obsessive-compulsive symptomatology.…”

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Childhood and Adolescence

“…The most recent epidemiological evaluations have reported an incidence ranging from 1 to 5%, but this reflects regional variations, from as little as 1% in the USA [7] to 1.3% in Denmark [8], 3.6% in Israel [9] and 5% in Japan [10]. The lastest data from the British nationwide survey of child mental health, carried out on a sample of more than 10,000 subjects, showed a lower prevalence of 0.25% [11], but, when subsyndromal forms were included, as it has been the case in another study [12], the prevalence increased significantly up to 12.0%.…”