1. OCD families under stress: Development of a support intervention protocol for parents
Angelica P Lopes, Clare Rees, & Rebecca Anderson
School of Psychology and Speech Therapy, Curtin University
INTRODUCTION
AIMS
STUDY 3 - Quantitative Study
Data from an Australian research database of children with OCD and their families
120 dyads of young people and their parents and caregivers
This study looks at how the type and severity of the child’s symptoms and level of family accommodation, is related to parent distress
H1: There will be a significant positive correlation between youth OCD symptoms and severity and parent distress and FA
H2: After controlling for child age, gender, and severity of OC symptoms, child’s level of impairment will be a significant predictor of level of FA and parent distress
This study will help uncover which types of OCD are particularly stressful for the family
PAEDIATRIC OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER (POCD)
OCD affects 1-3 % of children and adolescents
OCD causes significant functional, social & family impact
Data from previous studies has shown that family accommodation (FA) and parent distress were associated with each other, and also with the severity of the child’s OC symptoms
A literature review highlighted that most work on POCD has been on understanding the child’s problem and designing and evaluating effective treatment for the individual child, with less attention paid to the family system and in particular, the impact on parents.
The needs and difficulties uniquely experienced by families who care for a child with OCD are still poorly understood.
To improve the support given to families of youth with OCD and informing practitioners of the value of tailored intervention addressing parents’ needs
To examine the unique issues parents encounter when caring for their child/adolescent with OCD
To obtain their views regarding the sort of support they may require and how to best go about providing this
To use research evidence to inform the development of tailored resources for supporting parents of children with OCD who are distressed. :
RESEARCH METHODS
STUDY 1 – Systematic Review
This study reviews the role of parents in intervention programs for OCD
The results of this systematic review will add evidence to the development of a model of family assessment tailored for POCD which aims to describe how to structure an assessment of parents’ needs so that family responses to the OCD, such as family accommodation, are also examined.
STUDY 4 –Pilot Study
Research evidence will be used to pilot tailored resources specifically designed for parents
Findings from the initial studies will provide insights into the matters to be taken into account in developing and implementing the low-intensity support intervention protocol across the parents group who may be experiencing some minimal level of distress or impairment
What is Family Accommodation?
Family Accommodation (FA) describes the family members' involvement in the performance of rituals or in the avoidance behaviours of a relative with OCD.
Family members usually provide reassurance and modify their personal and family daily routines, conceivably in an effort to relieve their loved one’s negative feelings
ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES & SIGNIFICANCE
STUDY 2 – Qualitative study
In-depth Interviews with parents to answer the question: What is the experience of parents who have a child with OCD?
Parents’ perspectives in regards to their involvement, feelings, attitudes, challenges and psychological needs when caring for their child with OCD
10-15 primary caregivers of youth with OCD seeking treatment at the Curtin Psychology Clinic
Data analysis: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)
Paediatric Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder
Examples of Accommodation
Helping child complete rituals
(e.g. examining food for contamination)
Performing tasks for child
(e.g. flushing the toilet)
Providing materials for rituals
(e.g. buying extra soap)
This research will bring to light the needs and difficulties uniquely experienced by families who care for a child with OCD
This research will lead to the development of resources and an intervention designed specifically to support parents
Providing support to parents and lowering their distress can empower them, enabling the family to serve as an important resource in treatment, which in turn may help reduce relapse as well as convey other benefits to the child with OCD
In short, this means by permitting or participating in child’s compulsions, parents are actually assisting their child to continue them