title: Long-term course of pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: 3 years of prospective follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assesses the long-term course of treatment-seeking youth with a primary diagnosis of DSM-IV OCD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty youth and their parents completed intake interviews and annual follow-up interviews for 3 years using the youth version of the Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation (Y-LIFE) and Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS). Remission was defined as no longer meeting DSM-IV criteria for OCD for 8 weeks or more, and recurrence was defined as meeting full criteria for OCD for 4 consecutive weeks after having achieved symptom remission. Remission rates for youth were compared to rates of adults participating in the same study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The probability of achieving partial remission of OCD was 0.53 and the probability of achieving full remission was 0.27. Among the 24 youth participants who achieved remission, 79% stayed in remission throughout the study (mean of 88 weeks of follow-up) and 21% experienced a recurrence of symptoms. Better functioning at intake and a shorter latency to initial OCD treatment were associated with faster onset of remission (P<.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Remission is more likely among youth versus adults with OCD. Treatment early in the course of illness and before substantial impact on functioning predicted a better course.
authors: Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA. Electronic address: Maria_Mancebo@brown.edu.
authors: Maria C
authors: MC
authors: Mancebo
authors: Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
authors: Christina L
authors: CL
authors: Boisseau
authors: Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
authors: Sarah L
authors: SL
authors: Garnaat
authors: Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors: Jane L
authors: JL
authors: Eisen
authors: Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
authors: Benjamin D
authors: BD
authors: Greenberg
authors: Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
authors: Nicholas J
authors: NJ
authors: Sibrava
authors: Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Calverton, MD, USA.
authors: Robert L
authors: RL
authors: Stout
authors: Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
authors: Steven A
authors: SA
authors: Rasmussen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012237:Rhode Island; D055815:Young Adult