Although therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are effective in treating symptoms of pediatric OCD, not all children with OCD respond to it. Are there certain factors that could predict a better response?

To examine this, Dr. Lewin and his team examined whether demographics, symptom characteristics, and comorbidities affect treatment response, symptom severity after treatment, and remission rates in 78 young people with OCD receiving 14 sessions of family-based CBT. By the end of treatment, 88.5% responded to CBT, while 62.8% achieved remission. In this sample, males were more likely to have treatment response and achieve remission. Greater family accommodation of symptoms and greater symptoms at the start of CBT were predictive of higher symptoms at the end, showing that these factors can predict poorer response to therapy. Comorbidities did not predict outcomes in this sample. This study provided insight into predictors of how well CBT could work for young people with OCD.

Related Publication:

Rudy, B.M., Lewin, A.B., Geffken, G.R., Murphy, T.K., & Storch, E.A. (2014). Predictors of treatment response to intensive cognitive-behavioral therapy for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psychiatry Research, 220, 433-440. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2014.08.002