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Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is defined in part by excessive and uncontrollable worry. However, little is known about cognitive control abilities in adults with GAD. The present study examined cognitive control over negative and neutral material in a mixed clinical sample of adults with GAD and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder and a comparison healthy control sample. Participants completed a novel emotional variant of the AX-CPT (eAX-CPT) to index proactive and reactive cognitive control in the presence of negative and neutral distractor stimuli. Participants with GAD demonstrated enhanced cognitive control specifically over negative emotional distractors, relative to neutral distractors (within-subjects) and relative to OCD and controls (between-subjects). Findings were specific to GAD versus trait worry; however, higher trait worry predicted better cognitive control in GAD only. These findings are inconsistent with deficit-based cognitive models of GAD and may be better accounted for by models that conceptualize worry as an intentional (albeit maladaptive) cognitive control or emotion regulation strategy that is actively maintained by individuals with GAD in order to avoid engaging with more distressing emotional information., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Recent clinical trial research suggests that baseline low end-tidal CO 2 (ETCO 2 , the biological marker of hyperventilation) may predict poorer response to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety-related disorders. The present study examined the predictive value of baseline ETCO 2 among patients treated for such disorders in a naturalistic clinical setting. Sixty-nine adults with a primary diagnosis of a DSM-5 anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or posttraumatic stress disorder completed a 4-min assessment of resting ETCO 2 , and respiration rate (the first minute was analyzed). Lower ETCO 2 was not associated with a diagnosis of panic disorder, and was associated with lower subjective distress ratings on certain measures. Baseline ETCO 2 significantly predicted treatment dropout: those meeting cutoff criteria for hypocapnia were more than twice as likely to drop out of treatment, and ETCO 2 significantly predicted dropout beyond other pre-treatment variables. Weekly measurement suggested that the lower-ETCO 2 patients who dropped out were not responding well to treatment prior to dropout. The present results, along with previous clinical trial data, suggest that lower pre-treatment ETCO 2 is a negative prognostic indicator for CBT for anxiety-related disorders. It is suggested that patients with lower ETCO 2 might benefit from additional intervention that targets respiratory abnormality., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Internet-guided self-help (iGSH) has amassed significant empirical support for a variety of psychiatric conditions; however, it is not known who responds best to these treatments. This open trial examined the clinical outcomes and predictors of a 17-week iGSH program for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Therapist support was provided either in person or by phone 9 times for an average of 13minutes per session. Twenty-four patients initiated treatment, and 17 of these (70.8%) completed. Results of the intent-to-treat sample indicated statistically significant improvements at posttreatment with large treatment effects for OCD symptoms as assessed by the Yale Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (d=0.87), and small to moderate improvements in depression (d=0.19), functioning (d=0.53), and quality of life (d=-0.18). These outcomes were largely maintained over a 6-month follow-up. Readiness to reduce avoidance of OCD triggers and attendance to therapist sessions were moderately associated with posttreatment response, and correctly classified the responder status (defined as clinically significant change) of nearly 9 out of 10 patients at posttreatment. These same variables did not predict responder status at 6-month follow-up. These results lend further empirical support to iGSH as a treatment for OCD and provide direction on the development of predictor models to identify patients who are and are not likely to acutely respond to iGSH., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Traditionally, hoarding symptoms were coded under obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), however, in DSM-5 hoarding symptoms are classified as a new independent diagnosis, hoarding disorder (HD). This change will likely have a considerable impact on the self-report scales that assess symptoms of OCD, since these scales often include items measuring symptoms of hoarding. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of one of the most commonly used self-report measures of OCD symptoms, the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), in a sample of 474 individuals with either OCD (n = 118), HD (n = 201), or no current or past psychiatric disorders (n = 155). Participants with HD were diagnosed according to the proposed DSM-5 criteria. For the purposes of this study the OCI-R was divided into two scales: the OCI-OCD (measuring the five dimensions of OCD) and the OCI-HD (measuring the hoarding dimension). Evidence of validity for the OCI-OCD and OCI-HD was obtained by comparing scores with the Saving Inventory Revised (SI-R), the Hoarding Rating Scale (HRS) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Receiver operating curves for both subscales indicated good sensitivity and specificity for cut-scores determining diagnostic status. The results indicated that the OCI-OCD and OCI-HD subscales are reliable and valid measures that adequately differentiate between DSM-5 diagnostic groups. Implications for the future use of the OCI-R in OCD and HD samples are discussed., ((c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.)

Background: Exposure and response prevention (ERP) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is underutilized, in part because of costs and time requirements. This study extends pilot work investigating the use of a stepped care ERP administration, in which patients are first given a low-intensity, low-cost treatment and the more costly intervention is reserved for those who do not respond to the first intervention., Methods: Thirty adults with OCD were randomized to receive stepped care ERP or standard ERP. Those receiving stepped care started with three sessions over 6 weeks of low-intensity counseling with ERP bibliotherapy; patients failing to meet strict responder criteria after 6 weeks were given the more traditional treatment of therapist-administered ERP (17 sessions twice weekly). Those receiving standard ERP received the therapist-administered ERP with no lower-intensity lead-in., Results: The two treatments were equally efficacious, with 67% of stepped care completers and 50% of standard treatment completers meeting criteria for clinically significant change at posttreatment. Similarly, no differences in client satisfaction ratings were obtained between the two groups. Examination of treatment costs, however, revealed that stepped care resulted in significantly lower costs to patients and third-party payers than did standard ERP, with large effect sizes., Conclusions: These results suggest that stepped care ERP can significantly reduce treatment costs, without evidence of diminished treatment efficacy or patient satisfaction. Additional research is needed to determine the long-term efficacy and costs of stepped care for OCD, and to examine the financial and therapeutic impact of implementing stepped care in community settings., (© 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

This study evaluated the effectiveness and treatment costs associated with a stepped care protocol of exposure and response prevention (EX/RP) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In the current open trial, patients (N=14) began with self-directed EX/RP and minimal therapist guidance over the course of six weeks (Step 1). During this phase of treatment, no therapist-directed exposures were conducted. Those who did not respond optimally to Step 1 went on to Step 2, which consisted of 15 sessions of twice-weekly therapist-directed exposures. Results of this study show promise for stepped care utilizing EX/RP for some patients with OCD, with a response rate of 88% and a 60% reduction on the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) score among treatment completers. Significant improvements were found in Y-BOCS from pre to post-treatment for both Step 1 and Step 2 completers. Forty-five percent of participants (n=5) responded following completion of Step 1, resulting in reduced cost of treatment among these participants. All participants who responded to Step 1 maintained acute gains during the brief follow-up period. Limitations include a small sample size and high attrition rate., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) incorporating exposure and response prevention is a first line treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Although, the efficacy of CBT in reducing OCD symptoms is well documented, less is known about its effects on quality of life (QOL). In the current study, functional impairment aspects of QOL (as measured by the Sheehan Disability Scale) were assessed among 70 adult outpatients with OCD before and after CBT. Statistically significant improvements in QOL and large pre- to post-treatment effect sizes were observed for work, social, and family functioning. Improvements in social and family functioning were predicted by improvements in OCD symptom severity even after controlling for improvements in depressive symptoms. In addition, clinically significant change in OCD symptoms and QOL were highly related, although there was a subset of participants whose symptoms improved without corresponding improvements in QOL. These results suggest that the effects of CBT may extend beyond OCD symptom reduction to QOL.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy incorporating exposure and response prevention (ERP) is widely considered a first-line psychosocial treatment for patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, a number of obstacles prevent many patients from receiving this treatment, and self-administered ERP may be a useful alternative or adjunct. Forty-one adult outpatients with a primary diagnosis of OCD, who reported at least 1 current or previous adequate medication trial, were randomly assigned to self-administered or therapist-administered ERP. Patients in both treatment conditions showed statistically and clinically significant symptom reduction. However, patients receiving therapist-administered ERP showed a superior response in terms of OCD symptoms and self-reported functional impairment. We discuss several potential reasons for the superiority of therapist-administered treatment, and propose a stepped-care integration of self-administered and therapist-administered interventions for OCD.

Objective: Many studies of the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have used percent reduction cutoffs on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) to classify patients as treatment responders. However, reduction criteria have varied from 20% to 50%, with studies of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) using a more stringent criterion than studies of pharmacotherapy. The aim of this retrospective investigation was to determine optimal YBOCS reduction criteria for classifying patients as responders., Method: Data from 87 adult clinic and research outpatients meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for OCD according to structured interview were examined, comparing the percent YBOCS reduction from pretreatment to posttreatment with 2 "gold standard" criteria from the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale: much or very much improved and mild illness or better. Signal detection analyses were used to determine the sensitivity, specificity, predictive value of a positive test, predictive value of a negative test, and efficiency of various YBOCS reduction cutoffs., Results: A YBOCS reduction cutoff of 30% was optimal for predicting improvement on the CGI. The 20% cutoff used by many pharmacologic studies resulted in a high number of false positives, whereas the 50% cutoff used by most CBT studies resulted in a high number of false negatives. For predicting mild illness or better at posttreatment, a YBOCS reduction cutoff of 40% to 50% was optimal., Conclusions: A YBOCS reduction criterion of 30% appears to be optimal for determining clinical improvement, whereas a 40% to 50% reduction criterion is appropriate for predicting mild illness at posttreatment. Future studies should employ a standard definition of treatment response in order to facilitate cross-study comparisons.

Background: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is generally recommended for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients who have failed to respond to approved medications. However, few studies of the efficacy of CBT have selected patients who did not respond to medications., Method: We selected 20 adult OCD (DSM-IV criteria) patients with a history of inadequate response to adequate doses of multiple medications, as well as a high rate of comorbid disorders. After a 1-month wait-list period, patients received 15 sessions of outpatient CBT incorporating exposure and ritual prevention., Results: OCD severity (as measured with the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale) decreased significantly (p <.05) after treatment, and gains appeared to have been maintained over a 6-month follow-up period. Analysis of clinical significance indicated that 53% (8/15) of treatment completers met this criterion at posttreatment and 40% (6/15) met the criterion at 6-month follow-up. The sample was characterized as having generally poor insight and putting low effort into CBT; these factors significantly (p <.05) predicted degree of improvement., Conclusion: CBT is a useful treatment for OCD patients who have failed to respond adequately to multiple serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications. However, these results were attenuated compared with previous trials. Patients with a long history of poor response to medication may have poor insight and/or not put sufficient effort into treatment; these factors are likely to diminish treatment outcome.

Objective: Hoarding disorder (HD) is a common and potentially debilitating psychiatric disorder. Thus far, psychological treatments have yielded modest effects and/or were time-consuming and costly to deliver. The aim of the present study was to test the efficacy of a brief group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for adults with HD and to test hypothesized mediators of treatment outcome. Method: Eighty-seven adults with a primary diagnosis of HD were randomized to either immediate CBT or wait list. CBT consisted of 16 weekly, 90-min group sessions that emphasized in-session practice of discarding and refraining from acquiring, decision-making and problem-solving training, emotional distress tolerance, motivational interviewing strategies, and contingency management. Participants were assessed at pretreatment, midtreatment, and posttreatment by an independent evaluator unaware of treatment condition. Results: CBT was efficacious for the symptoms of HD compared with wait list. Saving-related cognitions, but not subjective cognitive impairment, partially mediated treatment outcomes. Conclusion: Brief Group CBT is an efficacious and feasible treatment for adults with HD, and is partially mediated by reductions in maladaptive beliefs about possessions. Superiority trials comparing CBT to active treatments, and additional research into mechanisms of treatment outcome, are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although hoarding disorder (HD) is characterized by self- and clinician-reported difficulties with cognitive functioning, studies of neuropsychological performance have yielded little evidence of consistent, clinical-level cognitive impairments. The aim of this study was to quantify this inconsistency and to examine whether this pattern is unique to HD. Fifty-three adults (20 with HD, 19 with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and minimal hoarding symptoms, and 14 with OCD and a high degree of hoarding symptoms (OCD-H)) completed self-report and objective neuropsychological tests of inhibition, attention, and memory. The three groups differed significantly on self-reported attention and memory deficits, with the HD group reporting greater difficulties. However, the groups performed comparably on objective neuropsychological tests of inhibition, attention, immediate and delayed nonverbal memory, and immediate verbal memory. The OCD-H group demonstrated a greater rate of impairment on a test of delayed verbal memory. The HD group was characterized by lower concordance rates between self-report and objective memory impairment. The groups did not differ significantly in concordance rates for self-report and objective measures of attention and inhibition. Understanding the discrepancy between self-report and objective neuropsychological measures may help to better characterize the role of cognitive processes in HD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Stepped care for obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) is a promising approach for improving the accessibility and cost-effectiveness of exposure and response prevention (ERP). Previous research has shown that stepped care is less costly compared with standard, therapist-directed ERP, owing largely to the roughly one-third of patients who respond to lower intensity guided self-help (GSH). The aim of this study was to recalculate the costs of treatment in stepped versus standard care when also including the cost of illness; defined as costs related to functional disability in work, school, and home functioning attributed to OCD symptoms. It was found that the cost savings of stepped care was reduced to a moderate effect (d=0.66) when the cost of illness was included. Data also indicated substantial potential cost savings if patient-to-treatment matching variables are identified. Exploratory analyses suggested that problems with attention may be an important variable to investigate as a potential treatment moderator in future GSH treatment outcome research. These data highlight the importance of including the cost of illness in cost-effectiveness analyses, and of identifying predictors that will facilitate matched care and prevent unnecessary treatment delay for the roughly two-thirds of patients who will not respond to GSH for OCD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cognitive-behavioral therapy incorporating exposure and ritual prevention (EX/RP) is the first-line psychosocial treatment of choice for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, several barriers to care prevent many OCD patients from receiving this treatment. Previous research has indicated that some OCD patients may benefit from less intensive treatment options, such as bibliotherapy; however, it is not clear how to assign patients to their appropriate level of treatment. We suggest that an optimal approach may be to use a stepped care protocol, in which patients begin with a low-intensity treatment and then progress to more costly (but perhaps more efficacious) treatments as needed. In this pilot study, 11 adults with OCD initially received bibliotherapy EX/RP treatment; 20% of patients completing this treatment met stringent responder criteria. The remaining patients were then assigned to a therapist who provided brief education and EX/RP advice but did not actually assist patients with exposure exercises. Twenty-nine percent of patients who completed this treatment were classified as responders. The remaining patients then received the more traditional therapist-administered EX/RP; 67% of patients completing this treatment were responders. Across the entire protocol, 86% of treatment completers and 80% of the intent-to-treat sample were rated as “much improved” or “very much improved.” Cost-effectiveness analyses, in which the total cost of treatment was divided by the degree of symptom reduction, showed that stepped care compared favorably to other forms of EX/RP delivery. We provide a detailed case discussion that illustrates the clinical decision-making process and one patient''s response to different levels of treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Clinically significant anxiety is associated with an array of attentional symptoms (e.g., difficulty concentrating; unwanted thought) that are subjectively experienced as severe. However, neuropsychological findings are mixed with respect to the presence of cognitive deficits that can account for these symptoms. Contextualizing predictions from established clinical theories (e.g., Attentional Control Theory) within contemporary, neurobiologically derived models of cognitive control (Dual Mechanisms of Control Theory), the present study investigated the relationship between "cold" proactive and reactive cognitive control, task effort, and subjective attentional symptoms (difficulty concentrating; unwanted thought) in a mixed clinical sample of individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and a comparison sample of healthy controls. Clinical status moderated the relationship between attentional symptoms (attentional focusing and trait worry) and proactive cognitive control response time. Clinical status also moderated the relationship between trait worry and task effort. Higher trait worry was associated with slower proactive control and lower effort in healthy participants, but faster proactive control in clinical participants. Self-reported attentional focusing showed differential validity vis-à-vis proactive control response time in clinical versus healthy participants. Post-hoc conditional effects analysis suggested more accurate self-appraisals in healthy controls, but was not significant after correction for multiple comparisons. Preliminary evidence suggested that differences in task effort in anxious versus healthy adults may relate to subjective attentional symptoms in GAD and OCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]