An open trial of videoconference-mediated exposure and ritual prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder

Abstract

The gold-standard treatment for OCD is exposure and ritual prevention (ERP), yet despite its well-established efficacy, only a small percentage of OCD patients have access to this treatment. Remote treatments (e.g., videoconferencing) are becoming increasingly popular avenues for treatment delivery and show promise in increasing patient access to evidence-based mental health care. The current pilot study utilized an open trial to examine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of videoconference-mediated, twice weekly, ERP for adults (n= 15) with OCD. Results revealed that ERP was associated with significant improvements in OCD symptoms and large within-group effect sizes. Among the 10 individuals who completed a 3-month follow-up assessment, 30% of participants no longer met DSM-IV-TR criteria for OCD and 80% of participants were rated as very much or much improved on the CGI. This study adds to the growing body of literature suggesting that videoconference-based interventions are viable alternatives to face-to-face treatment. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.