Perfectionism in children can lead to the risk of developing OCD

Children who tend to be perfectionists and show excessive self-control from a young age are two times more likely than their peers to develop the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as stated by a new study. This study has been published in the journal, JAMA Psychiatry and included taking MRI scans as part of the research.

"Having a lot of self-control and striving for perfection often are considered by parents and society as good because they can eliminate mistakes, but excessive self-control and perfectionism raise a red flag," said Kirsten E Gilbert, from the Washington University in the US. "In adolescents and adults, these characteristics are associated with OCD and other disorders, such as anorexia and social anxiety. We've now been able to link this to OCD risk in children," said Gilbert.

OCD is not something to be taken lightly. It is a chronic mental disorder that often involves uncontrollable, recurring thoughts, or obsessions. This could involve the fear of germs or the constant need to have everything in order. It's important to identify this disorder in the early stages of a child's life and treat it almost instantly. The researchers enrolled 292 children ages 4 and 5 as part of the study. 35 kids went on to develop OCD. As part of the study, the researchers intended to study self-control and perfectionism. "The experimenter would hand the child a blank sheet of paper and a green marker and simply say, 'I need you to draw me a perfect, green circle'," Gilbert explained.

"Some kids were very self-critical. The researchers would point out flaws, but the child was critical of the effort, too. That excessive perfectionism was the strongest predictor of OCD later on," Gilbert said. "In its most severe forms, OCD is a highly disabling and intractable disorder. Therefore, this first identification of tangible risk behaviours in early childhood opens exciting new opportunities for the design of preventive interventions," said Joan L Luby, a professor at Washington University.