Mental health professionals have long wondered about the relationship between obsessive tendencies in children and their mental health as adults. An article published in Medical News Today March 5, 2009, “Obsessive Symptoms In Childhood Can Multiply The Probabilities Of An Obsessive Compulsive Disorder In Adulthood,” examines this issue. The researchers studied, “…one thousand people…assessed the evolution of two variables in participants at ages 11, 26 and 32: the repeated presence of obsessive ideas (e.g. recurrent and undesired thoughts to harm others) and compulsive rituals (a need to wash their hands constantly, to check up on small everyday tasks to prevent harm or repeatedly carrying out activities that seem meaningless, etc.). The results of the study were interesting. “…Based on the analysis of these data…there is a correlation between obsessions and compulsions in childhood (when study members were age 11) and the probability of suffering from an obsessive-compulsive disorder as an adult (observed at ages 26 and 32 among participants). More specifically, the girls and boys in the study who showed symptoms of obsessive or compulsive behaviour at 11 - a total of 8% of the population studied - were six times as likely as others to suffer from an obsessive-compulsive disorder in adulthood.” There are several important implications of this study. First, parents of children who exhibit obsessive symptoms should consult a qualified mental health professional to determine their child’s current and future risk of OCD. Second, mental health professionals who treat adults patients diagnoses with OCD should routinely screen for a history of childhood obsessive symptoms. Third, educators and school personnel who observe obsessive tendencies in their pupils should consult with a guidance professional to determine if intervention is warranted. And, fourth, public health professionals should educate the public about the link between childhood obsessive symptoms and adult OCD. The researchers conclude, “….There is nevertheless no need to become alarmed with the cases of children who manifest these symptoms, since they are very common amongst children aged 8 to 10, while the percentage of adults with this disorder does not reach 2%. What should be done is focus on preventive measures for these children, since we've seen that the risk is much lower amongst the rest of the population."
The Bottom Line: The results of this study strongly suggest that children with obsessive symptoms are at risk for developing adult OCD.
Reference: Original article
Great Youtube Videos on Childhood OCD
Great Informational Websites Created by Dr. Speller and Dr. Korkosz:
- Stress and the Human Brain
- Early Life Stress and the Immune System
- The Facts About Major Depressive Disorder
- The Parent's Guide to Understanding Adolescent Depression
Sources: See blogposts in Psychiatric Disorders: General and Psychiatric Disorders: OCD, Youtube. Adolescents
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