Parents’ experiences of a preventive intervention for children at risk of obsessive-compulsive disorder: a qualitative study

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often emerges in childhood. Many children do not receive support until symptoms have been impairing for years. Targeted preventive approaches may therefore be valuable, particularly for children with early obsessive-compulsive symptoms or a family history of OCD. A brief online program has recently been developed to support parents of children at elevated risk of OCD, but little is known about how parents experience engaging with such a preventive intervention. Methods: This qualitative study explored parents’ experiences of participating in the online prevention program. Nine parents of children aged 5-11 years were purposively sampled to represent different risk profiles (subclinical symptoms, familial risk, or both). Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted after program completion and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis by two researchers. Results: Two overarching themes were identified. “Accessibility and design features facilitating engagement” captured how parents experienced the digital, flexible format as lowering practical barriers and enabling integration of the program into everyday family life. “Changes in understanding and parental responses” described shifts in how parents interpreted early OCD-related behaviors, family accommodation, and their own responses. Conclusions: Parents perceived the online preventive program as accessible, relevant, and supportive of both understanding OCD and changing their behavioral responses. The findings support a refinement of the intervention by extending its duration, incorporating more in-depth content, and clarifying its focus on children with early OCD symptoms. These refinements will strengthen the program’s suitability as an early preventive intervention for families at risk of pediatric OCD.