Home self-assessment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Use of a manual and a computer-conducted telephone interview: two UK-US studies.
BACKGROUND
Two studies tested whether subjects with obsessive-compulsive disorder could successfully use BT STEPS, a computer-aided system, to perform self-assessment for self-treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder by exposure and ritual prevention.


METHODS
Subjects were given a self-guiding manual and could use a touch-tone telephone to access computer-controlled Interactive Voice Response interviews at their convenience from home. Using the BT STEPS system, patients rated themselves and worked out a plan for individually tailored self-exposure therapy.


RESULTS
Outcomes were similar in the two studies. Of the 63 subjects who used BT STEPS, 84% completed the self-assessment module. Most calls were made outside usual office hours. As expected, subjects did not improve merely by completing self-assessment. However, completion of self-assessment predicted later improvement with self-exposure therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Most subjects successfully completed self-assessment using BT STEPS from their homes.


BACKGROUND
BT STEPS is a trademark of Pfizer, Inc. I.M.M., L.B. and J.H.G. have a financial interest in BT STEPS.
Marks
I M
IM
Institute of Psychiatry, London. I.Marks@iop.bpmf.ac.uk
Baer
L
L
Greist
J H
JH
Park
J M
JM
Bachofen
M
M
Nakagawa
A
A
Wenzel
K W
KW
Parkin
J R
JR
Manzo
P A
PA
Dottl
S L
SL
Mantle
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008370:Manuals as Topic; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013689:Telephone; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted; D016896:Treatment Outcome