Obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions in a population-based, cross-sectional sample of school-aged children

Author(s):Show less -

Alvarenga, Pedro G. ^{[1, 2]} ; Cesar, Raony C. ^[1] ; Leckman, James F. ^{[1, 3]} ; Moriyama, Tais S. ^{[1, 2]} ; Torres, Albina R. ^[4] ; Bloch, Michael H. ^[3] ; Coughlin, Catherine G. ^[4] ; Hoexter, Marcelo Q. ^{[1, 2]} ; Manfro, Gisele G. ^{[2, 5]} ; Polanczyk, Guilherme V. ^{[1, 2]} ; Miguel, Euripedes C. ^{[1, 2]} ; do Rosario, Maria C. ^{[2, 6]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo Med Sch USP, Dept & Inst Psychiat, BR-01060970 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] CNPq, Natl Inst Dev Psychiat Children & Adolescents, BR-01060970 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Yale Univ, Ctr Child Study, Sch Med, New Haven, CT 06519 - USA

^[4] Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Dept Neurol Psychol & Psychiat, Botucatu Med Sch, BR-18618970 Botucatu, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Hosp Clin Porto Alegre, BR-90035903 Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil

^[6] Fed Univ Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Child & Adolescent Psychiat Unit UPIA, Dept Psychiat, BR-04038020 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH; v. 62, p. 108-114, MAR 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 17

Abstract

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder can be expressed as four potentially overlapping obsessive-compulsive symptom (OCS) dimensions (OCSD) ({''}symmetry/ordering{''}, ``contamination/cleaning{''}, ``aggressive/sexual/religious{''} and ``collecting/hoarding{''}). In clinical samples, some dimensions are more familial and associated with increased psychiatric comorbidity and malfunctioning. However, data concerning OCS and OCSD are scarce in non-clinical samples, particularly among children. The present study aims to estimate: (1) the prevalence and sex/age distribution of OCS/OCSD in a community-based sample of schoolchildren; (2) the association between OCS and additional clinical factors; and (3) the degree of familial aggregation of OCS/OCSD. Methods: OCS and OCSD were evaluated in 9937 Brazilian school-children (6-12 years-old) and their biological relatives using the Family History Screen. Data analyses included gradient estimated equations and post-hoc tests. Results: We included data on 9937 index-children, 3305 siblings (13-18 years-old), and 16,218 parents. Biological mothers were the informants in 87.6% of the interviews. OCS were present in 14.7% of the index-children; 15.6% of their siblings; 34.6% of their mothers and 12.1% of their fathers. The prevalence of OCS and each of the OCSD gradually increased from ages 6 to 12 years. Overall, OCS in children were associated with the presence of other psychiatric symptoms, as well as behavioral/school impairment. OCS and each of the four OCSD aggregated significantly within families. Conclusions: OCS are prevalent and associated with psychiatric symptoms and clinical impairment among school-aged children. OCSD aggregate within families in a dimension-specific fashion. These findings suggest a natural continuum between OCS and OCD with regard to their dimensional character. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/57896-8 - National Institute for Developmental Psychiatry
• Grantee: Eurípedes Constantino Miguel Filho
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants