Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (Twenty-First Century Medical Library)

Cherry Pedrick, RN, is a registered nurse and freelance writer. She has coauthored many books for people with obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, including The OCD Workbook.

Gr. 7-10. Offering the surprising statistic that "one out of every forty people has OCD," this book presents both insights and information. The discussion begins with descriptions of eight teenagers who have obsessive-compulsive disorder and uses their experiences as a way of discussing thoughts and behaviors that could be symptoms. The text returns to these teens at intervals throughout the book, and though some readers might prefer a more straightforward discussion, others will find that reading about individuals personalizes the information in a helpful way. There are no source notes, but the book concludes with a glossary and lists of relevant organizations and Internet sites. With little else written specifically for young adults on this topic--which has risen to prominence recently in the popular media--this will be useful to report writers as well as to those concerned about their own anxieties. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved