Barriers to the use of exposure therapy by psychologists treating anxiety, obsessive-compuslive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder in an Australian sample.

Abstract

Exposure therapy is a core component of the evidence-based treatment of anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite this, many clinicians fail to use exposure therapy in clinical practice, with research highlighting a number of potential barriers. Those findings raise serious concerns regarding the effective dissemination and delivery of evidence-based treatments that in turn have a major impact on client care and cost-effectiveness of psychological interventions. The present study aims to examine barriers to the use of exposure therapy in the clinical practice of Australian psychologists treating anxiety, OCD and PTSD. One hundred registered psychologists, aged between 23 and 71 years and 84% female, participated in this study via online survey. Results suggest that the most common barriers to the use of exposure therapy include lack of confidence, negative beliefs about exposure therapy, insufficient underpinning theoretical knowledge, client-specific barriers, and logistical limitations. Future research may further examine those barriers and the components of additional training and supervision that can increase the uptake of exposure therapy, particularly in clinical areas where it is a gold standard of practice.