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Functional impairment in clinical samples of Norwegian and Swedish children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder

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Abstract

The aims of the present study were to examine OCD-related impairments in clinical cases of childhood OCD and to replicate and extend previous research on OCD-related impairments.

Method

Sixty-eight patients aged 8–17 years recruited from four child psychiatric outpatient clinics in Norway and Sweden with a confirmed DSM-IV diagnosis of OCD were included in the study. All patients and their parents were interviewed for diagnosis and comorbidity (KSADS),OCD symptoms and severity (CY-BOCS), and global impairment (CGAS). OCD-specific impairments were assessed by means of the Child OCD Impact Scale (COIS), a 58 item questionnaire with parallel parent and child versions.

Results

Overall, the majority of patients suffered from substantial impairments. The impact of OCD symptoms was found to be most severe at home, but impairments were also prominent in situations related to school and social settings.

Conclusions

Our study supports findings of previous research suggesting multiple impacts of OCD symptoms on children’s psychosocial functioning. We conclude that impairment issues should be further addressed in future research to establish a better empirical basis for the understanding of different aspects of OCD-related impairment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Neuroscience Center for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, MTFS, 7489, Trondheim, Norway

    Robert Valderhaug

  2. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Göteborg University, Kungsgatan 12, 41119, Göteborg, Sweden

    Tord Ivarsson

  3. Helse Sunnmøre HF Psykisk Helsevern for barn og ungdom (BUP), 257, 6001, Aalesund, Norway

    Robert Valderhaug

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  1. Robert Valderhaug
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  2. Tord Ivarsson
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Correspondence to Robert Valderhaug.

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Valderhaug, R., Ivarsson, T. Functional impairment in clinical samples of Norwegian and Swedish children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Europ.Child & Adolescent Psych 14, 164–173 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-005-0456-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-005-0456-9

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