"Not Just Right Experiences" in adolescents: phenomenology and associated characteristics.

Efforts to understand the nature of "Not Just Right Experiences" (NJREs) have expanded the scientific understanding of obsessive-compulsive (OC) behavior. Approximately 80% of unselected adults report experiencing NJREs and these experiences have been found to highly correlate with OC behavior. The purpose of this study was to assess NJREs in an unselected sample of adolescents (ages 14-17; N = 152), to compare their experience with adults (N = 237), and to assess the relation between NJREs and OC symptoms. Findings from questionnaires completed on the Internet were consistent with previous findings in adults, 81% of adolescents endorsed recently having an NJRE. Some reactions differed according to age: adults reported NJREs as more frequent and adolescents endorsed feeling more compelled to respond. Surprisingly, OC symptoms were not significantly related to NJREs in the adolescents. Implications, limitations, and future directions for the study of NJREs in youth are discussed.