Early childhood OCD: preliminary findings from a family-based cognitive-behavioral approach.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relative efficacy of family-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) versus family-based relaxation treatment (RT) for young children ages 5 to 8 years with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).


METHODS
Forty-two young children with primary OCD were randomized to receive 12 sessions of family-based CBT or family-based RT. Assessments were conducted before and after treatment by independent raters blind to treatment assignment. Primary outcomes included scores on the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale and Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement.


RESULTS
For the intent-to-treat sample, CBT was associated with a moderate treatment effect (d = 0.53), although there was not a significant difference between the groups at conventional levels. For the completer sample, CBT had a large effect (d = 0.85), and there was a significant group difference favoring CBT. In the intent-to-treat sample, 50% of children in the CBT group achieved remission as compared to 20% in the RT group. In the completer sample, 69% of children in the CBT group achieved a clinical remission compared to 20% in the RT group.


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that children with early-onset OCD benefit from a treatment approach tailored to their developmental needs and family context. CBT was effective in reducing OCD symptoms and in helping a large number of children achieve a clinical remission.
Freeman
Jennifer B
JB
Drs. Freeman, Garcia, Coyne, Ale, Przeworski, Himle, and Leonard are with the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center, Providence, RI; and Dr. Compton is with Duke University, Durham, NC.. Electronic address: Jennifer_Freeman@Brown.edu.
Garcia
Abbe M
AM
Drs. Freeman, Garcia, Coyne, Ale, Przeworski, Himle, and Leonard are with the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center, Providence, RI; and Dr. Compton is with Duke University, Durham, NC.
Coyne
Lisa
L
Drs. Freeman, Garcia, Coyne, Ale, Przeworski, Himle, and Leonard are with the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center, Providence, RI; and Dr. Compton is with Duke University, Durham, NC.
Ale
Chelsea
C
Drs. Freeman, Garcia, Coyne, Ale, Przeworski, Himle, and Leonard are with the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center, Providence, RI; and Dr. Compton is with Duke University, Durham, NC.
Przeworski
Amy
A
Drs. Freeman, Garcia, Coyne, Ale, Przeworski, Himle, and Leonard are with the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center, Providence, RI; and Dr. Compton is with Duke University, Durham, NC.
Himle
Michael
M
Drs. Freeman, Garcia, Coyne, Ale, Przeworski, Himle, and Leonard are with the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center, Providence, RI; and Dr. Compton is with Duke University, Durham, NC.
Compton
Scott
S
Drs. Freeman, Garcia, Coyne, Ale, Przeworski, Himle, and Leonard are with the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center, Providence, RI; and Dr. Compton is with Duke University, Durham, NC.
Leonard
Henrietta L
HL
Drs. Freeman, Garcia, Coyne, Ale, Przeworski, Himle, and Leonard are with the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center, Providence, RI; and Dr. Compton is with Duke University, Durham, NC.
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009511:New England; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome