Speaker
Description
Authors: Jose Pedro Espada Sanchez, Victor Amoros-Reche, Mireia Orgilés (Miguel Hernandez University)
Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) during childhood or adolescence is associated with significant impairment in academic, social, and emotional functioning. Given that OCD frequently coexists with internalizing disorders such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, understanding its comorbidity profile is essential for improving early identification and intervention strategies. This study aims to examine the prevalence of OCD symptoms in Spanish adolescents and explore their associations with emotional disorders to inform targeted mental health interventions.
Methods: A total of 3,159 children aged 9–12 years completed a self-reported assessment focused on OCD symptoms and emotional problems, including depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Results: Findings indicated that 11.4% of participants were at risk for OCD, while 4.5% exhibited clinically significant symptoms. OCD showed notable comorbidity with internalizing disorders: 20% of adolescents with clinical OCD symptoms met also criteria for depression, 18% for GAD, 15% for social anxiety, and 25% for PTSD. Comorbidity analyses revealed significantly increased odds of clinical symptoms in one domain when another was present, particularly between OCD and GAD (OR = 4.596, p < .001) and OCD and PTSD (OR = 4.242, p < .001).
Discussion: These findings highlight OCD as a prevalent mental health concern among Spanish youth, with strong associations with internalizing symptoms. The strong comorbidity between OCD and internalizing disorders, particularly generalized anxiety disorder and PTSD, suggests shared underlying mechanisms, such as heightened threat sensitivity and difficulties in emotional regulation. Given the impact of OCD on daily functioning, early detection and intervention strategies should prioritize screening for co-occurring emotional disorders to improve treatment outcomes.
| Conflict of interest | None |
|---|
