Family Accommodation in Chinese Pediatric and Adolescent Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Phenomenology, Correlates and Impairment.

Family accommodation (FA) describes the behaviors in which family members of individuals with obsessive‒compulsive disorder (OCD) tend to modify their own routines and rituals in an attempt to help them avoid the distress caused by symptoms or prevent them from engaging in compulsive rituals. This study investigated the incidence and factors related to FA among parents of Chinese pediatric and adolescent patients with OCD. The participants included 88 young people with OCD and their parents who completed clinician- and self-reported measures. Multiple linear regression was employed to examine factors related to FA, and mediation analysis was conducted to examine the role of accommodation levels in the relationships among symptom severity, level of insight, and functional impairment. All parents reported at least one FA per week, with approximately 60% reporting some accommodations daily. Multiple linear regression indicated that functional impairment, symptom severity, and insight were associated with FA. FA mediated the relationship between symptom severity and functional impairment, as well as the relationship between insight and functional impairment. Accommodation behaviors among parents of pediatric and adolescent patients with OCD are highly prevalent and manifest in various forms. Early identification of FA, parental involvement in treatment, and direct reduction in accommodation practices during interventions help mitigate negative outcomes in youth with OCD.