Family accommodation of obsessive-compulsive symptoms - Instrument development and assessment of family behavior

Relatives frequently accommodate patients' obsessive-compulsive symptoms an d clinicians hypothesize that such accommodations adversely affect patient outcome. This study's purpose was to develop a valid and reliable measure, the Family Accommodation Scale for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (FAS), and to investigate the family accommodation construct. We administered the FAS and additional family and patient measures to 36 adult obsessive-compulsiv e patients and their primary caregivers. The FAS demonstrated excellent int errater reliability and good internal consistency and performed well on ass essment of its convergent and discriminant validity Family accommodation wa s significantly associated with patient symptom severity and functioning, a nd with relatives' own obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Although most relativ es accommodated patient symptoms, many did not believe that such accommodat ions improved the patient's clinical status. The FAS will provide researche rs and clinicians with a useful tool for assessing family accommodation and for identifying families who may benefit from interventions aimed at devel oping more adaptive coping strategies.