The Bergen 4-Day Treatment (B4DT) for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Outcomes for Patients Treated After Initial Waiting List or Self-Help Intervention

A concentrated approach for treating OCD: a pilot study examining the feasibility and potential effectiveness of the Bergen Four Day Treatment in the U.S

The Bergen Four Day Treatment (B4DT) is a concentrated treatment for OCD that has demonstrated promising effectiveness in Nordic country samples. The B4DT is delivered over four days and provides individual treatment in a group context. The effectiveness of the B4DT for OCD has not been tested outside Nordic countries. The current pilot study evaluated the feasibility and the potential effectiveness of B4DT in a different culture and health-care system in the United States. Findings from 48 adults with OCD who completed the B4DT indicated that OCD, anxiety, and depression symptom severity significantly decreased from pre- to post-treatment, and gains were maintained at six month follow-up. The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale scores were reduced from moderate to subclinical; specifically, the average scores of 27.0 (pre-treatment) fell to 11.7 (post-treatment), 12.7 (3-month follow-up), and 13.7 (6-month follow-up). The B4DT was rated as highly acceptable by the US patients. Over 95% of the patients stated that they would recommend the treatment to a friend. These findings provide the first preliminary evidence for the generalizability of the B4DT to patients outside Nordic countries. Cultural and context-dependent issues that affected this dissemination pilot study are discussed in addition to future clinical and research directions.

Patient adherence as a predictor of acute and long-term outcomes in concentrated exposure treatment for difficult-to-treat obsessive-compulsive disorder

BACKGROUND

Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is considered the first-line psychotherapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Substantial research supports the effectiveness of ERP, yet a notable portion of patients do not fully respond while others experience relapse. Understanding poor outcomes such as these necessitates further research. This study investigated the role of patient adherence to ERP tasks in concentrated exposure treatment (cET) in a sample who had previously not responded to treatment or relapsed.

METHOD

The present study included 163 adults with difficult-to-treat OCD. All patients received cET delivered during four consecutive days. Patients' treatment adherence was assessed using the Patient EX/RP Adherence Scale (PEAS-P) after the second and third day of treatment. OCD severity was evaluated at post-treatment, 3-month follow-up, and 1-year follow-up by independent evaluators.

RESULTS

PEAS-P scores during concentrated treatment were associated with OCD-severity at post-treatment, 3-month follow-up, and 1-year follow-up. Moreover, PEAS-P scores predicted 12-month OCD severity adjusting for relevant covariates. Adherence also predicted work- and social functioning at 1-year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that ERP adherence during the brief period of cET robustly relates to improvement in OCD symptoms and functioning in both the short and long term. Assessing adherence might identify patients at risk of poor outcomes, while improving adherence may enhance ERP for treatment resistant patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02656342.

The Bergen 4-day treatment for panic disorder: adapting to COVID-19 restrictions with a hybrid approach of face-to-face and videoconference modalities

BACKGROUND

The Bergen 4-day treatment (B4DT) is a concentrated exposure-based therapy that has been shown to be effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders. The current study sought to examine the effectiveness of B4DT for panic disorder (PD), when delivered with a combination of face-to-face sessions and videoconferencing.

METHODS

Treatment was delivered to 50 patients from April 2020 to May 2021. Because of regulations during the pandemic, a significant portion of the treatment was conducted via videoconference. The primary outcome measure was the clinician-rated Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS), and secondary measures included patient-rated symptoms of panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety, depression, and treatment satisfaction. Changes in symptom levels over time were estimated using multilevel models.

RESULTS

Patients showed a significant reduction in clinician-rated symptoms of panic disorder (Measured by PDSS) from before treatment to post treatment (d = 2.18) and 3-month follow-up (d = 2.01). At three months follow-up 62% of patients were classified as in remission, while 70% reported a clinically significant response. We also found a reduction in symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety, and the patients reported high satisfaction with the treatment.

CONCLUSION

The current study suggests that B4DT delivered in a combination of videoconference and face-to-face meetings may be a useful treatment approach. As the study is uncontrolled, future studies should also include more strictly designed investigations.

The Bergen 4-day treatment for panic disorder: replication and implementation in a new clinic

BACKGROUND

Bergen 4-day treatment (B4DT) is a concentrated exposure-based treatment (cET), where the patient receives concentrated, individually tailored cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) during four consecutive days. Previous findings have indicated that B4DT could be a promising treatment for panic disorder (PD).

AIM

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the implementation of B4DT for panic disorder with- and without agoraphobia, at a new clinic. This is the first replication study for B4DT on panic disorder.

METHOD

Thirty consecutively recruited patients with PD were included in an open trial design. Assessment of symptoms of panic disorder were measured with Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS), while symptoms of generalized anxiety were assessed by Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and depressive symptoms by Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) pre-treatment, post-treatment and at 3-month follow-up. Treatment satisfaction was measured with Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) post-treatment.

RESULTS

The results showed a significant reduction in symptom severity from pre-treatment to post-treatment (d = 4.32), and at 3-month follow-up (d = 4.91). The proportion of patients classified as fulfilling the criteria for remission was 80.0% at post-treatment and 86.7% at follow up. There was a significant reduction in symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety. Treatment satisfaction was high and none of the patients dropped out.

CONCLUSION

The current study replicated the results from the original study and indicate that the treatment can be successfully implemented at new clinics. B4DT may be a promising treatment for panic disorder and comorbid symptoms of generalized anxiety and depression. Larger and more controlled studies are needed to establish the efficacy of B4DT for panic disorder.

Treatment Adherence as Predictor of Outcome in Concentrated Exposure Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Background: The treatment of choice for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is exposure and response prevention (EX/RP). Previous studies have demonstrated that treatment adherence predicts treatment outcome for patients with OCD, but there is little knowledge on its role in concentrated exposure treatment for OCD. Method: In the present study, 42 patients received EX/RP treatment using the Bergen 4-day format. Adherence was measured with the Exposure and Response Prevention Adherence Scale (PEAS, rated both by patients and therapists) after the second and third day. Treatment outcome (symptoms of OCD, depression, anxiety, work- and social functioning, and well-being) was assessed at 3-month follow-up. Results: At follow-up, 71.4% were in remission. High adherence was reported (mean score of 6 on a 1-7 scale). The combination of patient- and therapist rated adherence was significantly associated with treatment outcome whilst controlling for age, sex, and pre-treatment scores. Patients with higher degree of adherence reported less symptoms, higher functioning, and more well-being at follow-up. Conclusions: The results of the present study indicated that adherence in concentrated exposure treatment is significantly associated with a wide range of treatment outcomes for OCD.

Does Concentrated Exposure Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Improve Insomnia Symptoms? Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial

Insomnia is a substantial problem in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). There is, however, a lack of studies investigating changes in concurrent symptoms of insomnia in OCD after concentrated treatment. A recent randomized controlled trial randomized participants to the Bergen 4-day treatment (B4DT, n = 16), or 12 weeks of unguided self-help (SH, n = 16), or waitlist (WL, n = 16). Patients from the SH- and WL-group who wanted further treatment after the 12 weeks were then offered the B4DT (total of 42 patients treated with the B4DT). There were no significant differences in symptoms of insomnia between the conditions at post-treatment, but a significant moderate improvement at 3-month follow-up for patients who received the B4DT. Insomnia was not associated with OCD-treatment outcome, and change in symptoms of insomnia was mainly related to changes in depressive symptoms. The main conclusion is that concentrated exposure treatment is effective irrespective of comorbid insomnia, and that insomnia problems are moderately reduced following treatment.