Stepped Care Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (SC-CBT)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Stepped Care Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder focused on measuring Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Stepped Care CBT, Exposure and Response Prevention, Psychotherapy, Counseling
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Outpatient youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder between the ages 8-17 years.
- A Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale score ≥ 16
- Child has a Full Scale IQ ≥ 80 as assessed on the WASI
- English speaking
Exclusion Criteria:
- Past adequate CBT with E/RP trial
- Initiation of antidepressant medication within 12 weeks before study enrollment, or an antipsychotic/mood stabilizer medication 6 weeks before study enrollment, or a stimulant/anxiolytic or alpha 2 agonist 4 weeks before study enrollment
- Established Treatment changes: Any change in dose of an established psychotropic medication (e.g., antidepressants) within 8 weeks before study enrollment (4 weeks for antipsychotic, mood stabilizer, alpha 2 agonist; 2 weeks for stimulant/anxiolytic). Alternative medications must be stable for 4 weeks prior to baseline. Any medications must remain stable during treatment; downward adjustments due to side effects may be acceptable with PI approval.
- Active child suicidality assessed by all available information (e.g., KSADS-PL, CDI).
- DSM-IV conduct disorder, autism, mental retardation, bipolar, schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorders; or substance abuse in past 6 months; or co-primary eating disorder; using all available information.
- Another behavioral/emotional problem or psychiatric disorder is considered to be more problematic than OCD.
- Non-English speaking.
- WASI-IQ SS <80.
Sites / Locations
- The Rothman Center for Pediatric Neuropsychiatry
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Stepped Care CBT
Standard CBT
All participants in this arm receive Step One which includes 3-in-office sessions lasting 1 hour each over 6 weeks and 6 weekly phone calls lasting 15 minutes or less. The in-office sessions are devoted to psychoeducation, cognitive therapy, and hierarchy development. These sessions will include all procedures of the standard therapist-delivered CBT but will be parent-led, therapist guided; thus, the parent is delivering evidence-based strategies with clinician guidance. Children are then "stepped up" to Step Two of SC-CBT if it is determined that more therapy is needed following the post assessment. Step Two is a continuation of therapy and will include 9 additional in-office weekly session lasting 1 hour each over 9 weeks. These sessions will be therapist-led and are devoted to exposure and response prevention.
All patients in this arm will receive 12 sessions of therapy over 12 weeks using the evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy protocol in POTS (2004). Sessions 1-3 do not include exposures and are devoted to psychoeducation, cognitive therapy, and hierarchy development. Sessions 4-12 involve exposure and response prevention exercises specific to each youth.