Preventing Relapse in the Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Young People

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) most often begins in childhood. Despite effective treatments, a large proportion of young people experience relapse. The aim of this project is to develop a method that reduces the risk of relapse.

The long-term goal of the research team is to change how relapse prevention is carried out for children and adolescents with OCD.

There are effective treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and medication. However, symptoms often return in as many as 60 percent of patients, usually within the first year after treatment ends. The researchers now aim to develop a new, individualized method to prevent relapse.

The “just-in-time” method is based on young people and their parents regularly reporting well-being in real time through a mobile app. At the earliest signs of deterioration, families receive immediate support and strategies. In this way, interventions are adapted to the child’s current situation and can be provided repeatedly when needed.

By preventing relapse, long-term well-being can be improved for young people with OCD, and care can become more sustainable and cost-effective. Because relapse is also common in other psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety and depression, the researchers believe that the project could pave the way for broader use within psychiatry and improve relapse prevention more generally.

The project consists of three parts: Co-development of the method in collaboration with young people with OCD, their families, and healthcare professionals; A pilot study in which the first version of the method is tested on a small scale and refined based on participant experiences; A randomized controlled trial involving 330 children and adolescents who have completed OCD treatment and are assigned either to the project intervention or standard follow-up, with monitoring over two years.