Evidence-Based Supported Employment for Individuals With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (2023)

Individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a chronic and disabling psychiatric disorder, experience high rates of occupational impairment. OCD symptoms commonly affect individuals’ vocational aspirations and result in disability and the need for financial support, problems that are not addressed by current clinical practice guideline recommendations for treating OCD.

 Retrospective State Medicaid Claims Analysis of Children and Adults With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (2023)

Review of Medicaid data on 2.2 million children and 4.2 million adults enrolled in New York State Medicaid showed that OCD is under detected in public behavioral health systems. Further, individuals who are diagnosed with OCD often do not receive the most effective treatments for OCD, which include antidepressant medications and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy.

The Brief Obsessive-Compulsive Scale: Development and validation of a self-report (BOCS-SR) (2022)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects 2–3% of the population and causes significant impairment in functioning and quality of life. OCD is often misdiagnosed in community practice. To address this problem, researchers in Sweden developed the Brief Obsessive Compulsive Scale (BOCS), a measure derived from the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). We shortened the BOCS further and tested whether the BOCS as a self-report (BOCS-SR) can both screen for OCD and assess its severity.

Statewide Workforce Development Program to Improve Care for Individuals With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (2022) 

This article will describe how we conducted a systematic assessment of clinician's perspectives and of those with lived experience with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to improve the quality of care for OCD. We describe how this information was used to develop Improving Providers’ Assessment, Care Delivery, and Treatment of OCD (IMPACT-OCD), a training program to train mental health providers and provide resources to individuals with OCD and their families in New York State.

 Patterns of cannabis use among individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder: Results from an internet survey  (2021)

In an internet survey of approximately 600 individuals with symptoms of OCD, nearly 90% of respondents reported that they used cannabis (also called marijuana) medicinally. Of those individuals, about 30% said that they used cannabis specifically to manage their symptoms of OCD, although views were mixed as to if this use helped or worsened symptoms.

Predicting Treatment Outcomes From Internet-based Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (2021)

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. Relative to the large literature on predictors of outcomes for in person CBT for OCD, very few studies have investigated ICBT predictors.

  Defining and Addressing Gaps in Care for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in the United States (2021)

This study reviewed the literature to identify and address gaps in OCD diagnosis and treatment among U.S. adults. Lack of clinician and patient knowledge about OCD often contributes to its underdetection, whereas limited use of exposure and response prevention and suboptimal prescribing contributes to its undertreatment. Digital technologies may offer ways of increasing OCD detection and delivery of evidence-based treatment.

  Integrating Videoconferencing into Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Practical Strategies with Case Examples (2021)

This study examines ways of integrating videoconferencing into treatment for OCD, which could increase access to evidence-based treatment for many individuals. Videoconferencing can enable remote exposure and response prevention, psychopharmacology, or support groups for OCD as well as clinical training and supervision.

Integrating Exposure and Response Prevention With a Mobile App to Treat Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effects (2020)

This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier NCT 03476902). Our work was funded by New York State Office of Mental Health – Policy Scholar Award (to MG) Columbia Psychiatry Chairman’s Pilot Award (to MG), and philanthropy to the Center for OCD and Related Disorders (to HBS).

Acceptability, Feasibility, and Effectiveness of Internet-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in New York (2017) 

This study examined if an Internet Based Treatment (based on exposure and response prevention) program for OCD is acceptable, feasible and effective. In 40 adults with moderate to severe OCD, we found that the treatment program was effective in reducing OCD symptoms and symptoms of depression and improving quality of life. Participants found the program acceptable and it was feasible to implement.

Patient Preferences and Acceptability of Novel Treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (2017) 

This study examine preferences for and acceptability of treatments for OCD. Among 216 adults with moderate OCD symptoms, preferences for exposure and response prevention and medications were similar (55% and 45% respectively). Participants preferred the addition of exposure and response prevention over additional medications if they were still experiencing symptoms on medication for OCD.

Treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in a Nationwide Survey of Office Based Practice (2014) 

This study examined what treatments adults with OCD receive during treatment visits to U.S. office based physicians. Among the 316 visits examined, most were treated with psychotropic medications (84%), most commonly Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (69%) and less commonly psychotherapy (39%).