Symptom Insight in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Outcomes of an International Aggregated Cross-Sectional Sample.

Insight in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) refers to patients' recognition that their obsessions and compulsions are symptoms rather than necessary or natural thoughts and behaviors. ¹ It has been estimated that 20% to 45% of youth with OCD exhibit poor or absent insight. ^2-4 Identified correlates of poor insight include younger age, ^2,3,5,6 increased OCD severity, ^2,4,7 impairment, ^4,7,8 and family accommodation ^2,4 ; lower intellectual and adaptive functioning ³ ; and greater depressive symptoms. ^2,3 Poorer insight has also been associated with reduced response across treatment groups (ie, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor [SSRI], cognitive behavioral therapy [CBT], combined SSRI plus CBT, or pill placebo). ⁹ .
(Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)