Abstract
Background
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) has a diverse symptom expression as well as a high comorbidity rate, with around 70% of patients having one or more comorbid disorders. This study aims to explore the underlying commonalities among OCD-affected children and adolescents in order to better conceptualize disorder presentation.
Methods
The data used in this study was aggregated from seven international pediatric OCD programs and includes a total of 830 child and adolescent cases. The sample was 54% female and 5-19 years of age. The Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) was used to assess OCD severity and symptom type, and comorbid diagnoses were assessed via diagnostic interviews. Dependent mixture modeling was used to examine latent clusters based on their age- and gender adjusted symptom severity, symptom type and comorbid diagnoses.
Results
The mixture modeling resulted in a four-cluster model where groups were distinguished primarily by symptom expression and type of comorbidity. Although fit indices for the 3-7 cluster solutions were only marginally different, the characteristics of clusters remained mostly stable between solutions with small clusters of distinct presentations added in more complex models.
Conclusions
Results supported the use of integrating dimensional, developmental, and transdiagnostic information in the conceptualization of OCD in this sample of children and adolescents. The clusters identified support the centrality of contamination symptoms in OCD, relationships between broader symptom expression and higher levels of comorbidity, as well as the potential for complex/neurodevelopmental presentations. The clusters provide an indication of potentially relevant modifications to treatment.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) has a diverse symptom expression as well as a high comorbidity rate, with around 70% of patients having one or more comorbid disorders. This study aims to explore the underlying commonalities among OCD-affected children and adolescents in order to better conceptualize disorder presentation.
Methods
The data used in this study was aggregated from seven international pediatric OCD programs and includes a total of 830 child and adolescent cases. The sample was 54% female and 5-19 years of age. The Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) was used to assess OCD severity and symptom type, and comorbid diagnoses were assessed via diagnostic interviews. Dependent mixture modeling was used to examine latent clusters based on their age- and gender adjusted symptom severity, symptom type and comorbid diagnoses.
Results
The mixture modeling resulted in a four-cluster model where groups were distinguished primarily by symptom expression and type of comorbidity. Although fit indices for the 3-7 cluster solutions were only marginally different, the characteristics of clusters remained mostly stable between solutions with small clusters of distinct presentations added in more complex models.
Conclusions
Results supported the use of integrating dimensional, developmental, and transdiagnostic information in the conceptualization of OCD in this sample of children and adolescents. The clusters identified support the centrality of contamination symptoms in OCD, relationships between broader symptom expression and higher levels of comorbidity, as well as the potential for complex/neurodevelopmental presentations. The clusters provide an indication of potentially relevant modifications to treatment.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication date | Nov 2022 |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2022 |
| Event | Psykiatriens Forskningsdag 2022 - Aarhus, Denmark Duration: 2 Nov 2022 → 2 Nov 2022 |
Conference
| Conference | Psykiatriens Forskningsdag 2022 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Denmark |
| City | Aarhus |
| Period | 02/11/2022 → 02/11/2022 |