Rage as a hidden aspect in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder

Abstract

Introduction

Pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a multifaceted clinical entity. Rage attacks have been repeatedly described in the phenotype of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. It has been acknowledged that anxious youth who display rage have more severe clinical profiles and increased levels of dysfunction in most domains, consistent with the notion that rage is a marker of more severe psychopathology. However, this matter remains largely underappreciated in pediatric OCD. Namely, the role and functions of rage in pediatric OCD in relation to family accommodation and illness severity have highly relevant clinical management and treatment implications.

Objectives

We aim to discuss how does rage look like in pediatric OCD, what are its associated features and its contributions to additional functional impairment. We examine the central role of family accommodation mediating clinical outcomes and review highly relevant diagnostic and treatment challenges.

Methods

Selective review of the literature in PubMed (MEDLINE). Illustration with a clinical case vignette.

Results and conclusions

Rage attacks are relatively common in pediatric OCD, have a negative impact on illness presentation, and contribute to functional impairment above and beyond obsessive-compulsive symptom severity. We hereby illustrate that rage may contribute to family accommodation of symptoms, which may further affect and perpetuate obsessive-compulsive symptom severity and impairment. There is a need to avoid misdiagnosis and to prioritize psychotherapeutic interventions and psychopharmacological treatment approaches. This provides important insights regarding the clinical validity of this component of OCD, aiming to capture further the attention of the clinical and research community.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.