Parental involvement in cognitive behavioral group treatment for adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder: a qualitative study

Research suggests that parents of children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often accommodate symptoms which may contribute to the maintenance and reinforcement of the disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is recommended as a first-line treatment for children and adolescents with OCD, and it is common practice to involve parents in the treatment. However, little is known about the experiences of parents involved in CBT. Therefore, this study aimed to explore parents’ experiences of being involved in their child’s OCD treatment through group CBT for adolescents in a specialized clinic in Denmark. The sample included eleven mothers who participated in a pre-established CBT protocol for treating OCD in their adolescents aged 13–17 years. The parents were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide and data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The analysis revealed three main themes: (1) The impact of psychoeducation on parents’ understanding and management of OCD, (2) Meeting other parents, and (3) Level of parental involvement in the treatment. Results suggest that parents gained factual and practical knowledge as well as social support from the parent group sessions. Overall, from the parents’ perspective, involving them in group based treatment for adolescents with OCD offers several benefits. However, parents also emphasized areas of improvement. Therapists should focus on group cohesion and universality. More diverse examples in psychoeducation might increase the transferability of psychoeducation, ensure that different experiences are acknowledged, and highlight the heterogenous nature of OCD symptoms. Further, general questions about the organization of parent group sessions are raised based on the current study. NCT04891367 (Registration Date: 2021-05-02).