Preliminary feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a pilot telehealth-based intensive outpatient program incorporating acceptance and commitment therapy for adolescents with obsessive compulsive disorder

Abstract

Pediatric obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a significantly impairing disorder. Given the impact of pediatric OCD, it is important to consider how to best adapt treatments for OCD, particularly for more severe youth that may not respond to traditional outpatient formats. Understanding how to implement such treatments via telehealth can improve access to care and reduce treatment burden on families. The current study therefore evaluates preliminary feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of delivering a pilot intensive, group-based telehealth treatment combining acceptance-based skills with exposure and response prevention (ERP) for pediatric OCD. Participants (N = 25) received two to 3 h of individual, family, and/or group treatment per day, four days per week, for a total of 10 h of treatment per week. Following the intensive outpatient program (IOP), adolescents reported large decreases in OCD symptoms, and small to large decreases in anxiety and depression. Parents reported similar outcomes, with small to large improvements in the impact of OCD on their child, anxiety, and familial accommodation. This pilot study thereby presents promising results and adds to the growing evidence base of acceptance-based interventions for adolescents with OCD, anxiety, and other mental health concerns.