Insomnia as a predictor of treatment outcomes in adolescents receiving concentrated exposure treatment for OCD.

Background: Research suggests that individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) frequently experience insomnia. Some previous studies have suggested that insomnia may predict treatment outcomes, but the evidence is limited, especially for adolescents. This study examined the prevalence of insomnia in an adolescent OCD patient sample, explored the correlation between OCD and insomnia, and tested whether levels of insomnia at baseline predict outcomes for adolescent patients receiving the Bergen 4-Day Treatment (B4DT) for OCD.

Randomized waitlist-controlled trial of buried in treasures facilitated support groups and in-home uncluttering (BIT+) for hoarding disorder.

Objective: The Buried in Treasures (BIT) workshop is a promising treatment for hoarding disorder (HD), though many participants struggle with home uncluttering. This randomized waitlist-controlled trial investigated the efficacy of a version of BIT, augmented with in-home uncluttering practice (BIT+).

Method: Adults (N = 41) with hoarding disorder were recruited from the community and randomly assigned to BIT+ or waitlist.

Patient adherence as a predictor of acute and long-term outcomes in concentrated exposure treatment for difficult-to-treat obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Background: Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is considered the first-line psychotherapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Substantial research supports the effectiveness of ERP, yet a notable portion of patients do not fully respond while others experience relapse. Understanding poor outcomes such as these necessitates further research.

The effectiveness and acceptability of the Bergen 4-day treatment for adolescents with OCD: a replication and extension.

Background: B4DT is a concentrated treatment format with prolonged sessions of exposure and ritual prevention (ERP) delivered over four consecutive days. Two previous open trials demonstrated promising results of the Bergen 4-day treatment (B4DT) for adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The aim of the current study was to replicate the initial results with a new sample of adolescents and different therapists at different sites across Norway.

Predictors of clinical worsening during a discontinuation trial of serotonin reuptake inhibitors for obsessive compulsive disorder.

Objective: To explore predictors and moderators of clinical worsening during a double-blind trial in which patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) were randomized to either continue or discontinue their Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SRI) medication after achieving wellness from the addition of exposure and response prevention (EX/RP) therapy.

Method: The data came from a double-blind discontinuation trial that included N = 101 participants, 35 of whom were removed from the study due to clinical worsening. We first used LASSO logistic regression to identify which of the 34 potential baseline variables of interest (including demographics, diagnoses, other relevant clinical constructs, and specific genotypes), might moderate or predict this clinical worsening.

Predictors of EX/RP alone versus EX/RP with medication for adults with OCD: does medication status moderate outcomes?

Exposure and response prevention (EX/RP) can be delivered as monotherapy or to augment serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs). While both options are considered effective OCD treatments, responses are heterogenous. Substantial work has investigated EX/RP predictors to account for this variability in responses, with mixed findings.

The perceived long-term impact of COVID-19 on OCD symptomology.

A pandemic outbreak can lead to excessive, maladaptive levels of anxiety, particularly among individuals who already suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) provided a novel opportunity to examine the possibility that individuals with OCD, compared to those without OCD, might experience greater distress from this common stressor. The present study examined the lasting effects of COVID-19 in the year after the outbreak.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder: A Review of Symptomatology, Impact on Functioning, and Treatment.

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is a chronic condition that involves a maladaptive pattern of excessive perfectionism, preoccupation with orderliness and details, and the need for control over one's environment. It is one of the most common personality disorders in the general population, with an estimated prevalence ranging from 1.9% to 7.

Identifying trajectories of symptom change in adults with obsessive compulsive disorder receiving exposure and response prevention therapy.

Exposure and response prevention (EX/RP) is a recommended psychotherapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Yet, not all patients benefit equally from EX/RP. Prior studies have examined EX/RP predictors by predicting endpoint symptoms and/or pre-post symptom change, rather than accounting for trajectories of symptom change across treatment.

Parents' long-term experiences in a recreational dance program for their children with autism spectrum disorder.

Background And Aims: Motor impairments are associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); yet few children receive appropriate therapy. Dance interventions are known to have diverse benefits, but research is lacking in how dance can benefit those with ASD. Ballet for all Kids is a novel program that has taught recreational dance classes to those with ASD for over a decade.

Pilot study of single-dose psilocybin for serotonin reuptake inhibitor-resistant body dysmorphic disorder.

Objective: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an often-severe condition in which individuals are preoccupied by misperceptions of their appearance as defective or ugly. Only serotonin reuptake inhibitors and cognitive-behavioral therapy have been demonstrated efficacious in randomized controlled trials. Psilocybin is a psychedelic drug with growing evidence for safety and efficacy in treatment of depression.

An Integrative Model for Understanding Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Merging Cognitive Behavioral Theory with Insights from Clinical Neuroscience.

Several models have been proposed for the emergence and maintenance of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Although these models have provided important insights and inspired treatment development, no single model has yet sufficiently accounted for the complexed phenotype of the disorder. In the current paper, we propose a novel model that integrates elements from cognitive behavioral models of OCD with neurocognitive approaches to the disorder.

Changes in avoidance and distress related to trauma reminders in PTSD psychotherapy.

Background And Objectives: Research has examined reductions in patient distress recounting trauma narratives in Prolonged Exposure (PE) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It remains unclear whether changes in distress and avoidance related to environmental trauma reminders matter in PE and other PTSD treatments, including non-exposure Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT).

Methods: Data came from adults with chronic PTSD (N = 92) who completed a treatment trial comparing PE, IPT, and Relaxation Therapy (RT).

Quality of the therapeutic working alliance as a factor in intensive residential treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Objective: Intensive residential treatment (IRT) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) includes frequent meetings with a cognitive-behavioral therapist. We examined whether this therapeutic working alliance relates to IRT outcomes.

Method: Data came from a naturalistic sample of patients with OCD (= 124) who received IRT at a specialty OCD clinic.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder With Co-Occurring Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder: A Practice Focused Review.

This review article addresses the frequently noted comorbidity between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). We begin by reviewing the recent empirical literature on the co-occurrence of these two conditions and the functional consequences of comorbid OCPD on OCD. We describe theoretical conceptualizations of the links between these disorders, including shared mechanisms that may drive the association between these two distinct conditions.

COVID-19 and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in a large multi-site college sample.

The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique risks to college students' mental health, and specifically to symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). To better understand the relationship between COVID-19 impact and OC symptoms in this population, six colleges from across the US administered a battery of questionnaires and an emotion differentiation paradigm to eligible students ( = 841). We examined whether degree of pandemic-related disruption was associated with OC severity, and if so, whether this relationship was explained by trait (poor emotion regulation and differentiation) and state risk factors (poor sleep quality, less exercise frequency, less social support, thwarted sense of belongingness, and greater loneliness).

Resilience predicts positive mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in New Yorkers with and without obsessive-compulsive disorder.

There has been substantial concern about the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) given the overlap between OCD symptoms (e.g., excessive handwashing) and appropriate disease prevention measures.

Maintenance of Wellness in Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Who Discontinue Medication After Exposure/Response Prevention Augmentation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) are the only medications approved for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), yet most patients taking SRIs exhibit significant symptoms. Adding exposure/response prevention (EX/RP) therapy improves symptoms, but it is unknown whether patients maintain wellness after discontinuing SRIs.

Objective: To assess whether patients with OCD who are taking SRIs and have attained wellness after EX/RP augmentation can discontinue their SRI with noninferior outcomes compared with those who continue their SRI therapy.

Correction to: A Perfect Storm? Health Anxiety, Contamination Fears, and COVID-19: Lessons Learned from Past Pandemics and Current Challenges.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s41811-021-00109-7.].

Maximizing remission from cognitive-behavioral therapy in medicated adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Practice guidelines for adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) recommend augmenting serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) with exposure and ritual prevention (EX/RP). However, fewer than half of patients remit after a standard 17-session EX/RP course. We studied whether extending the course increased overall remission rates and which patient factors predicted remission.

How is the COVID-19 pandemic affecting individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms?

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has caused substantial public health burden and widespread anxiety. The adverse mental health effects caused by COVID-19 may be particularly acute for individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). For the present study, we developed an online survey to investigate how COVID-19 has affected the OCD community.

A Perfect Storm? Health Anxiety, Contamination Fears, and COVID-19: Lessons Learned from Past Pandemics and Current Challenges.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rapidly spread, becoming a global pandemic with significant health, economic, and social impacts. COVID-19 has caused widespread anxiety, which at healthy levels leads to adaptive, protective behavioral changes. For some individuals, a pandemic outbreak can lead to excessive, maladaptive levels of anxiety, particularly among those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and health anxiety.

Momentary Induction of Inhibitory Control and Its Effects on Uncertainty.

Deficient inhibitory control and difficulty resolving uncertainty are central in psychopathology. How these factors interact remains unclear. Initial evidence suggests that inducing inhibitory control improves resolution of uncertainty.

Predicting Treatment Outcomes From Internet-Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) with therapist support shows promise as a treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Yet, not all patients respond to ICBT. It is therefore important to identify predictors of ICBT outcomes to determine who is likely to benefit.

Is Fear of COVID-19 Contagious? The Effects of Emotion Contagion and Social Media Use on Anxiety in Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic, causing substantial anxiety. One potential factor in the spread of anxiety in response to a pandemic threat is emotion contagion, the finding that emotional experiences can be socially spread through conscious and unconscious pathways. Some individuals are more susceptible to social contagion effects and may be more likely to experience anxiety and other mental health symptoms in response to a pandemic threat.