Self-treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder guided by manual and computer-conducted telephone interview.
While on a waiting list for treatment by therapist-guided exposure and ritual prevention (ERP), patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) did self-treatment at home guided by a manual plus a computer-driven telephone interview system (BT STEPS). Of 21 patients who used the system for at least three weeks while on the waiting list, one improved so much that subsequent therapist-guided ERP was unnecessary. Progress of the rest with the system predicted later progress with therapist-guided ERP. Improvement after using the system was similar to that of 20 matched historical controls who had had therapist-guided ERP without the prior use of BT STEPS. Outpatient users of BT STEPS needed less subsequent clinician-guided time than did their matched controls. In this pilot study, patients with OCD improved nearly as much with home self-treatment guided by a manual plus computer, as with treatment guided by a behaviour therapist.
Nakagawa
A
A
Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
Marks
I M
IM
Park
J M
JM
Bachofen
M
M
Baer
L
L
Dottl
S L
SL
Greist
J H
JH
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008370:Manuals as Topic; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome