Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Illustrated Book For Children to Aid in Early Diagnosis.

摘要

It is estimated that between 1% and 4% of children in the United States are diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). There is often a significant delay between the first appearance of OCD symptoms and receiving effective treatment. Key reasons for delayed treatment include shame and a lack of understanding of how OCD affects the brain. Children require developmentally appropriate interventions to understand their diagnosis. Bibliotherapy provides a safe medium through which children can explore their emotions, find comfort, and gain understanding. The purpose of this project was to create a storybook for children ages 6-10 who are experiencing symptoms of OCD. The storybook is about a boy with undiagnosed OCD who discovers his symptoms and seeks help to manage them. The goals of the book are to increase awareness and reduce shame around OCD symptoms. The book was reviewed by 13 masters' and doctoral level clinicians. Each reviewer answered 18 questions based on a 7-point Likert-scale, and eight open-ended questions. The book received an average rating of 6.4 across all Likert-scale questions. The majority of reviewers (85%) reported that they would use the book in treatment, and all reviewers reported that they would recommend it to parents.