Predictors of treatment history in youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Aim. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)-with exposure and response prevention (E/RP) and serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) medications are effective treatments for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, information on which treatments youth with OCD receive as well as factors that are associated with the receipt of treatment is limited. The aim of this study was to describe the treatment history of children affected by OCD. Methods. To address this paucity of knowledge, primary caregivers (N.=83) of youth with OCD completed an electronic survey to describe the treatment history of their children. Results. Results indicated that 52% of youth with OCD initially received treatment from a psychologist, 33% from a psychiatrist, and 16% from a primary care physician/pediatrician. A total of 7 different initial treatment variations were reported by caregivers. The most commonly received treatments included CBT monotherapy (27%), CBT and medication (16%), and talk therapy (13%). Medication was included in treatment for almost half of youth (45%) and youth seen by psychiatrist and general practitioners were more likely to receive medication than were youth who were seen by psychologists. Parents of youth with OCD reported that children experienced an average of 2 medication side effects (range=0-9) associated with taking psychiatric medication. Conclusion. Child gender was the only vari able that was significantly related to when treatment was received; treatment latency was significantly longer for girls than for boys.