OCD and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) research in children and young people
We are the only service in the UK chosen by NHS England to assess and treat children and young people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Our team blends expert clinical care with active research. We work together to improve outcomes for young people and families nationwide.
The challenge
OCD and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) are serious mental health conditions. They can have a big effect on a young person’s life, impacting their relationships, education, and general wellbeing.
OCD involves persistent, distressing thoughts and repetitive behaviours that can feel impossible to control.
BDD is a strong focus on a perceived flaw in appearance that others might not see. This leads to a lot of distress and disruption.
Both conditions can be treated, but many young people wait too long for the right support. Without quick help from specialists, these conditions can get more complicated and tougher to manage. That is why fast access to evidence-based treatment matters so much.
We also treat a range of related conditions, including Trichotillomania (hair pulling), Excoriation disorder (skin picking), Hoarding disorder, and Emetophobia (fear of vomiting). We have particular expertise in supporting young people who have a diagnosis of autism with OCD.
Our approach
Our clinical team delivers gold-standard psychological treatment in line with NICE guidelines for OCD and BDD. Research and clinical work go hand in hand at the King's Maudsley Partnership. They support and enhance each other at every step. Our clinical programme shapes our research priorities. In turn, our research findings improve the care we provide.
This partnership means that young people and families benefit from some of the most current thinking in the field.
The Pears Maudsley Centre goes further by situating clinicians and researchers in the same building, traditional siloed working will be broken down.
What we are working on
Assessment and treatment
A course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is offered to most children and young people after a half-day assessment. This therapy uses a treatment manual created in our clinic.
A typical CBT programme for OCD or BDD includes 14 to 20 weekly, one-hour sessions. We’ve created a 20-session treatment package for young people who have a diagnosis of autism and OCD.
After weekly sessions, young people enter a self-led treatment phase. They stay open to the team for another 12 months and have four review sessions. We are dedicated to ensuring no young person misses out on treatment. This should not happen because of where they live or how serious their condition is.
Rapid Access Personalised Treatment (RAPT)
We are creating a new treatment plan for OCD. It will offer responsive and flexible care, reducing the need for hospital stays. Clinicians work closely with young people, their families, and other professionals. This helps to start high-quality treatment quickly.
National teaching and training
We’re sharing our evidence-based practice. We will do this through a national teaching and training programme.
The team is looking for funding to provide this training free to local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) clinicians. This will help more young people nationwide get quality treatment on time.
Southwest Satellite Clinic
We want to make our national service more accessible. So, we run a satellite clinic in the southwest of England. It operates from two host sites in Devon: Exeter and Tavistock. This clinic helps young people in Cornwall, Devon, and south Somerset. It makes specialist support easier for families who would otherwise travel a long way.
Parent Peer Support Workers
Our team has Parent Peer Support Workers. These are parents who have experience of supporting a child or young person with OCD. They work with clinicians to give families a place to talk, emotional support, and practical advice. Their first-hand experience helps families feel informed, understood, and supported.
International partnership using AI to predict OCD in children
An international team, led by researchers at the King's Maudsley Partnership for Children & Young People, have received £2.2million in Wellcome Discovery funding to use AI to predict children at risk of OCD.
The aim of this project is to develop a tool to pinpoint who is likely to develop OCD and when this may be. To do this, easily obtainable but anonymised medical information, often found in medical records, will be combined with more complex information on genetic make-up and brain features, to find out which type of information helps most in prediction.