Long-term functional impairment in pediatric OCD after and during treatment: An analysis of distinct trajectories

The present study aimed to: (a) identify latent class trajectories of OCD-related functional impairment, before, during and over three years after stepped-care treatment in children and adolescents with OCD; (b) describe these classes according to pretreatment characteristics; (c) identify predictors of trajectory class membership and (d) examine the relationship of functional impairment trajectory classes with OCD symptom severity trajectory classes. The sample consisted of 266 children and adolescents (aged 7–17 years) with OCD, participating in the Nordic long-term OCD treatment study. Latent class growth analysis was conducted using Child Obsessive-Compulsive Impact Scale-Revised (COIS-R) data from children and parents on seven assessment points over a three-year period. A 3-class solution was identified. The largest class (70.7%) initiated treatment with lower functional impairment and obtained moderate reduction which was maintained over time. The second class (24.4%) initiated with higher functional impairment which rapidly diminished over time. The third and smallest class (4.9%), initiated with moderate functional impairment which remained stable over time. The classes differed on measures of OCD severity and comorbid symptoms. Most participants improved with treatment and maintained low levels of impairment. However, a subgroup distinguished by higher levels of ADHD symptoms, remained at pretreatment levels of impairment throughout.