Exploring the impact of pediatric OCD on family impairment: A consideration of parent, sibling, and affected-child perspectives

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have examined the perspectives of both affected children/adolescents and their parents on family functioning impacts of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While siblings play an integral role within the family system, their perspectives have been largely overlooked in the literature. This study examined sibling, parent, and child perspectives of family functioning in pediatric OCD and assessed demographic and clinical factors associated with family functioning.

Methods: Participating families were identified from a larger research registry of 398 patients referred between 2012 and 2020 to the Provincial OCD Program. A total of 185 families who provided data on family functioning from the perspectives of OCD-affected children, siblings and parents were included for study. All family members completed the OCD Family Functioning scale.

Results: The extent of perceived impairment differed by family member type, with parents reporting the greatest impacts, followed by OCD-affected children, and then siblings. Predictors of OCD-imposed family dysfunction included family accommodation from all perspectives, clinician-reported child OCD severity, and family blame from parent perspectives.

Limitations: Data are cross-sectional, and we cannot conclude that the observed associations reflect causal effects. Missing data were evident and differed by variable item and family member type.

Conclusions: By providing sibling perspectives within the same family unit, this study expands upon previous findings that accommodation predicts family impairment from parent and child perspectives. Our study highlights factors relevant to family-based interventions in the treatment of pediatric OCD. Clinicians should be aware of the ongoing impacts OCD has on all family members.

Keywords: Family accommodation; Family functioning; Mental health; Obsessive-compulsive disorder; Pediatric.