The effectiveness of day clinic treatment in adolescents with obsessive compulsive disorder: Outcomes in Turkey

Abstract

Background: Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) causes impairment in social and academic functionality. Intensive treatment methods such as day treatments are recommended in resistant cases. Aims: The aim of this study is to examine the changes in treatment responses according to gender in children and adolescents with OCD who are followed up in the day clinic and to evaluate the factors that predict treatment. Methods: Adolescents with OCD (n = 50) who were followed up in the day clinic between 2007 and 2021 were included in this study. Scales evaluating symptom severity and treatment responses were administered to the patients at admission and discharge. Results: The mean age of the adolescents included in the study was 14.24 (SD: 2.1). The mean length of stay in the day clinic was 8.3 (SD: 0.1) weeks. When the factors related to the treatment response were evaluated, a significant correlation was found between the length of stay in the day clinic and improvement. Conclusions: This study provides evidence for the importance of intensive treatment in adolescents experiencing severe OCD symptoms. Ensuring that intensive treatments such as day clinics become widespread and standardizing these treatments will provide important developments in the treatment of OCD.

Keywords

• adolescent
• day treatment
• intensive therapy
• obsessive compulsive disorder