Efficacy and acceptability of cognitive-behavioral therapy and serotonin reuptake inhibitors for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: a network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) are recommended treatments for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but their relative efficacy and acceptability have not been comprehensively examined. Further, it remains unclear whether the efficacy of in-person CBT is conserved when delivered in other formats, such as over telephone/webcam or as Internet-delivered CBT (ICBT).

METHODS

PubMed, PsycINFO, trial registries, and previous systematic reviews were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing CBT (in-person, webcam/telephone-delivered, or ICBT) or SRIs with control conditions or each other. Network meta-analyses were conducted to examine efficacy (post-treatment Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale) and acceptability (treatment discontinuation). Confidence in effect estimates was evaluated with CINeMA (Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis).

RESULTS

Thirty eligible RCTs and 35 contrasts comprising 2,057 youth with OCD were identified. In-person CBT was significantly more efficacious than ICBT, waitlist, relaxation training, and pill placebo (MD range: 3.95-11.10; CINeMA estimate of confidence: moderate) but did not differ significantly from CBT delivered via webcam/telephone (MD: 0.85 [-2.51, 4.21]; moderate), SRIs (MD: 3.07 [-0.07, 6.20]; low), or the combination of in-person CBT and SRIs (MD: -1.20 [-5.29, 2.91]; low). SRIs were significantly more efficacious than pill placebo (MD: 4.59 [2.70, 6.48]; low) and waitlist (MD: 8.03 [4.24, 11.82]; moderate). No significant differences for acceptability emerged, but confidence in estimates was low.

CONCLUSIONS

In-person CBT and SRIs produce clear benefits compared to waitlist and pill placebo and should be integral parts of the clinical management of pediatric OCD, with in-person CBT overall having a stronger evidence base. The combination of in-person CBT and SRIs may be most efficacious, but few studies hinder firm conclusions. The efficacy of CBT appears conserved when delivered via webcam/telephone, while more trials evaluating ICBT are needed.

Latent class analysis of emotions experienced during compulsive hair-pulling episodes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Reasons for compulsive hair pulling are heterogeneous and not fully understood. Given that many people who experience compulsive hair pulling do not respond to treatment, identifying subgroups can inform potential mechanisms and treatment design.

METHODS

We sought to identify empirical subgroups among participants in an online treatment program for trichotillomania (N = 1728). A latent class analysis was used to identify patterns of emotions associated with compulsive hair-pulling episodes.

RESULTS

Six classes of participants were found which reflected three predominant themes. One theme reflected expected patterns, where emotional changes were seen following pulling. Two other themes were more surprising, where one reflected high overall emotional activation that did not show consistent change in response to pulling, and another showed low emotional activation overall. These results suggest that there are multiple types of hair-pulling and a sizeable group of people may benefit from treatment adjustments.

LIMITATIONS

Participants did not receive semi-structured diagnostic assessment. A majority of participants were Caucasian, and future research would benefit from increased participant diversity. Emotions associated with compulsive hair-pulling were measured across an entire treatment program, but the relationship between specific intervention components and change in specific emotions was not systematically collected.

CONCLUSIONS

While previous research has addressed overall phenomenology and comorbidity, the present study is the first to identify empirical subgroups of people who experience compulsive hair-pulling at the level of individual pulling episodes. Identified participant classes had distinguishing features that can aid in personalizing treatment to individual symptom presentations.

Long-term trajectories of ambulatory impairment in multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Ambulatory impairment is a common and complex manifestation of multiple sclerosis (MS), and longitudinal patterns are not well understood.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize longitudinal walking speed trajectories in a general MS patient population and in those with early disease (⩽ 5 years from onset), identify subgroups with similar patterns, and examine associations with individual attributes.

METHODS

Using a retrospective cohort study design, latent class growth analysis was applied to longitudinal timed 25-foot walk (T25-FW) data from 7683 MS patients, to determine T25-FW trajectories. Associations were evaluated between trajectory assignment and individual attributes. Analyses were repeated for 2591 patients with early disease.

RESULTS

In the general patient population, six trajectories were discerned, ranging from very minimal to very high impairment at baseline, with variability in impairment accrual. The clusters with moderate to very high walking impairment were associated with being female, older and Black American, longer symptom duration, progressive course, and depressive symptoms. In the early disease subset, eight trajectories were discerned that included two subgroups that rapidly accrued impairment.

CONCLUSION

We identified novel subgroups of MS patients will distinct long-term T25-FW trajectories. These results underscore that socially disadvantaged and economically marginalized MS patients are the most vulnerable for severe ambulatory impairment.

Posttraumatic stress disorder in diverse populations: Testing for assessment bias in a nationally representative sample

OBJECTIVE

A growing body of research has emerged to characterize differences in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom presentations in individuals from diverse racial and ethnic groups. However, less research has examined if these observed differences can be attributed to bias within PTSD assessments. Knowledge about potential bias in PTSD assessment is essential for interpreting group differences. If PTSD assessments do not perform similarly across diverse demographic groups, then observed differences may be artificial products of inaccurate measurement, new assessments could be required for individuals from different demographic groups, and we would be unable to accurately detect PTSD treatment effects in patients from diverse groups.

METHOD

We evaluated PTSD assessment bias through tests of measurement invariance for the semistructured, clinician-administered AUDADIS-5 diagnostic assessment of participants in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. Participants included those who reported having experienced at least one potentially traumatic event in their lifetime (N = 23,936). Measurement invariance was assessed for participants who identified from several demographic groups (Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander; Hispanic; American Indian/Alaskan Native; and Black) compared to participants who identified as White (non-Hispanic).

RESULTS

Overall, PTSD assessment was largely invariant across groups, while small amounts of measurement invariance were detected that can inform future research and clinical adaptations.

CONCLUSIONS

This work validates prior research that relies on a common conceptualization of PTSD, and it provides several paths for future improvement in research and clinical practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Defining brain-based OCD patient profiles using task-based fMRI and unsupervised machine learning

While much research has highlighted phenotypic heterogeneity in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), less work has focused on heterogeneity in neural activity. Conventional neuroimaging approaches rely on group averages that assume homogenous patient populations. If subgroups are present, these approaches can increase variability and can lead to discrepancies in the literature. They can also obscure differences between various subgroups. To address this issue, we used unsupervised machine learning to identify subgroup clusters of patients with OCD who were assessed by task-based fMRI. We predominantly focused on activation of cognitive control and performance monitoring neurocircuits, including three large-scale brain networks that have been implicated in OCD (the frontoparietal network, cingulo-opercular network, and default mode network). Participants were patients with OCD (n = 128) that included both adults (ages 24-45) and adolescents (ages 12-17), as well as unaffected controls (n = 64). Neural assessments included tests of cognitive interference and error processing. We found three patient clusters, reflecting a "normative" cluster that shared a brain activation pattern with unaffected controls (65.9% of clinical participants), as well as an "interference hyperactivity" cluster (15.2% of clinical participants) and an "error hyperactivity" cluster (18.9% of clinical participants). We also related these clusters to demographic and clinical correlates. After post-hoc correction for false discovery rates, the interference hyperactivity cluster showed significantly longer reaction times than the other patient clusters, but no other between-cluster differences in covariates were detected. These findings increase precision in patient characterization, reframe prior neurobehavioral research in OCD, and provide a starting point for neuroimaging-guided treatment selection.

Intervention cost-effectiveness for pediatric anxiety and OCD: A systematic review and integrated database model

BACKGROUND

While multiple treatments for pediatric anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are efficacious, little is known about their cost-effectiveness. In response, we sought to provide relevant information through systematic review and cost-effectiveness simulation.

METHODS

We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of treatment for pediatric anxiety and OCD in two ways. First, we conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines. Second, we evaluated cost-effectiveness for antidepressant medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, and their combination via a simulation that integrated information from the Truven MarketScan database and the NIMH National Database for Clinical Trials Related to Mental Illness.

RESULTS

Both systematic review and simulation found antidepressant medication and cognitive behavioral therapy to be cost-effective for pediatric anxiety and OCD. Antidepressant medication was the least costly approach, and cognitive behavioral therapy provided additional cost-effectiveness, especially for OCD.

LIMITATIONS

During systematic review, relatively few articles provided information about both costs and effectiveness. While there was a notable margin of error to support multiple interventions as cost-effective, limited prior research decreased precision of point estimates and comparisons between interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

Both antidepressant medication and cognitive behavioral therapy were found to be cost-effective for pediatric anxiety and OCD. Results supported investment from third party payers, who serve as critical gatekeepers that can increase treatment dissemination. However, more precise information would better inform the exact amount of investment needed, especially with regard to selection decisions between active interventions. Cost-effectiveness research would benefit from systematic collection of data on treatment costs and quality of life in future clinical trials.

Imbalance between default mode and sensorimotor connectivity is associated with perseverative thinking in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is highly heterogeneous. Although perseverative negative thinking (PT) is a feature of OCD, little is known about its neural mechanisms or relationship to clinical heterogeneity in the disorder. In a sample of 85 OCD patients, we investigated the relationships between self-reported PT, clinical symptom subtypes, and resting-state functional connectivity measures of local and global connectivity. Results indicated that PT scores were highly variable within the OCD sample, with greater PT relating to higher severity of the "unacceptable thoughts" symptom dimension. PT was positively related to local connectivity in subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), pregenual ACC, and the temporal poles-areas that are part of, or closely linked to, the default mode network (DMN)-and negatively related to local connectivity in sensorimotor cortex. While the majority of patients showed higher local connectivity strengths in sensorimotor compared to DMN regions, OCD patients with higher PT scores had less of an imbalance between sensorimotor and DMN connectivity than those with lower PT scores, with healthy controls exhibiting an intermediate pattern. Clinically, this imbalance was related to both the "unacceptable thoughts" and "symmetry/not-just-right-experiences" symptom dimensions, but in opposite directions. These effects remained significant after accounting for variance related to psychiatric comorbidity and medication use in the OCD sample, and no significant relationships were found between PT and global connectivity. These data indicate that PT is related to symptom and neural variability in OCD. Future work may wish to target this circuity when developing personalized interventions for patients with these symptoms.

An overview of the first 5 years of the ENIGMA obsessive-compulsive disorder working group: The power of worldwide collaboration

Neuroimaging has played an important part in advancing our understanding of the neurobiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). At the same time, neuroimaging studies of OCD have had notable limitations, including reliance on relatively small samples. International collaborative efforts to increase statistical power by combining samples from across sites have been bolstered by the ENIGMA consortium; this provides specific technical expertise for conducting multi-site analyses, as well as access to a collaborative community of neuroimaging scientists. In this article, we outline the background to, development of, and initial findings from ENIGMA's OCD working group, which currently consists of 47 samples from 34 institutes in 15 countries on 5 continents, with a total sample of 2,323 OCD patients and 2,325 healthy controls. Initial work has focused on studies of cortical thickness and subcortical volumes, structural connectivity, and brain lateralization in children, adolescents and adults with OCD, also including the study on the commonalities and distinctions across different neurodevelopment disorders. Additional work is ongoing, employing machine learning techniques. Findings to date have contributed to the development of neurobiological models of OCD, have provided an important model of global scientific collaboration, and have had a number of clinical implications. Importantly, our work has shed new light on questions about whether structural and functional alterations found in OCD reflect neurodevelopmental changes, effects of the disease process, or medication impacts. We conclude with a summary of ongoing work by ENIGMA-OCD, and a consideration of future directions for neuroimaging research on OCD within and beyond ENIGMA.

Urge intolerance predicts tic severity and impairment among adults with Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorders

BACKGROUND

Individuals with Tourette Syndrome and Persistent Tic Disorders (collectively TS) often experience premonitory urges-aversive physical sensations that precede tics and are temporarily relieved by tic expression. The relationship between tics and premonitory urges plays a key role in the neurobehavioral treatment model of TS, which underlies first-line treatments such as the Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT). Despite the efficacy of CBIT and related behavioral therapies, less than 40% of adults with TS respond to these treatments. Further examination of the relationship between premonitory urges, tic severity, and tic impairment can provide new insights into therapeutic targets to optimize behavioral treatment outcomes. This study examined whether urge intolerance-difficulty tolerating premonitory urges-predicted tic severity and tic-related impairment among adults with TS.

METHODS

Participants were 80 adults with TS. Assessments characterized premonitory urge, distress tolerance, tic severity, and tic impairment. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the construct of urge intolerance-comprised of premonitory urge ratings and distress tolerance ratings. We first evaluated a measurement model of urge intolerance through bifactor modeling, including tests of the incremental value of subfactors that reflect premonitory urge severity and distress tolerance within the model. We then evaluated a structural model where we predicted clinician-rated tic severity and tic impairment by the latent variable of urge intolerance established in our measurement model.

RESULTS

Analyses supported a bifactor measurement model of urge intolerance among adults with TS. Consistent with theoretical models, higher levels of urge intolerance predicted greater levels of clinician-rated tic severity and tic impairment.

CONCLUSION

This investigation supports the construct of urge intolerance among adults with TS and distinguishes it from subcomponents of urge severity and distress tolerance. Given its predictive relationship with tic severity and tic impairment, urge intolerance represents a promising treatment target to improve therapeutic outcomes in adults with TS.

Neurocognitive endophenotypes in pediatric OCD probands, their unaffected parents and siblings

BACKGROUND

Limited extant research on neurocognitive endophenotypes in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) show inconsistent results. Limitations of this body of literature include small sample sizes, strict exclusion criteria, lack of objective standard normalized test scores, and significant lack of studies utilizing pediatric probands. This study aimed to address these limitations.

METHODS

A large carefully screened cohort of pediatric OCD (n = 102), their unaffected siblings (n = 78), and parents (n = 164), completed a neuropsychological battery. To compare participants at different ages and developmental stages, standard scores were computed using test norms. Cluster-robust regression with sample size-adjusted sandwich estimates of variance, and interclass correlations were computed. False Discovery Rate procedures were employed to correct for multiplicity.

RESULTS

Probands, siblings and parents demonstrated deficient task performance (Z < -0.5) on the 'number of trials to complete first category' on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and on the Stroop color naming trials. Compared to test norms, the three groups exhibited medium to large effect sizes on these outcome measures. No other meaningful familial trends were found.

CONCLUSIONS

OCD probands, their unaffected siblings and parents exhibited deficiencies in specific subdomains of cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control, namely, initial concept formation and proactive control, which may be valid candidate neurocognitive endophenotypes of OCD. No other meaningful familial effect has been found on other functions, including other executive function indices such as perseverations and interference control. These results highlight the need to carefully examine individual outcomes from executive function tests instead of the tendency to focus largely on major outcome measures.

Beyond Efficacy and Effectiveness: Clinical Efficiency Is Necessary for Dissemination

Nearly all patients interact with critical gatekeepers-insurance companies or centralized healthcare systems. For mental health dissemination efforts to be successful, these gatekeepers must refer patients to evidence-based care. To make these referral decisions, they require evidence about the amount of resources expended to achieve therapeutic gains. Without this information, a bottleneck to widespread dissemination of evidence-based care will remain. To address this need for information, we introduce a new perspective, clinical efficiency. This approach directly ties resource usage to clinical outcomes. We highlight how cost-effectiveness approaches and other strategies can address clinical efficiency, and we also introduce a related new metric, the incremental time efficiency ratio (ITER). The ITER is particularly useful for quantifying the benefits of low-intensity and concentrated interventions, as well as stepped-care approaches. Given that stakeholders are increasingly requiring information on resource utilization, the ITER is a metric that can be estimated for past and future clinical trials. As a result, the ITER can allow researchers to better communicate desirable aspects of treatment, and an increased focus on clinical efficiency can improve our ability to deliver high-quality treatment to more patients in need.

Beyond Efficacy and Effectiveness: Clinical Efficiency Is Necessary for Dissemination

Nearly all patients interact with critical gatekeepers-insurance companies or centralized healthcare systems. For mental health dissemination efforts to be successful, these gatekeepers must refer patients to evidence-based care. To make these referral decisions, they require evidence about the amount of resources expended to achieve therapeutic gains. Without this information, a bottleneck to widespread dissemination of evidence-based care will remain. To address this need for information, we introduce a new perspective, clinical efficiency. This approach directly ties resource usage to clinical outcomes. We highlight how cost-effectiveness approaches and other strategies can address clinical efficiency, and we also introduce a related new metric, the incremental time efficiency ratio (ITER). The ITER is particularly useful for quantifying the benefits of low-intensity and concentrated interventions, as well as stepped-care approaches. Given that stakeholders are increasingly requiring information on resource utilization, the ITER is a metric that can be estimated for past and future clinical trials. As a result, the ITER can allow researchers to better communicate desirable aspects of treatment, and an increased focus on clinical efficiency can improve our ability to deliver high-quality treatment to more patients in need.

Integrating patient-reported outcomes and quantitative timed tasks to identify relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis patient subgroups: a latent profile analysis

BACKGROUND

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients experience wide-ranging symptoms with varied severity, and approaches that integrate patient-reported outcomes and objective quantitative measures will present opportunities for advancing clinical profiling. The primary objective of the current study was to conduct exploratory data analysis using latent variable modeling to empirically identify clusters of relapsing remitting (RR) MS patients with shared impairment patterns across three patient-reported outcomes and two timed task measures.

METHODS

Latent profile analyses and impairment data for 2,012 RRMS patients identified distinct patient clusters using timed task measures of upper and lower limb performance, and patient-reported outcomes measuring quality of life, depression symptom severity, and perceived global disability. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to characterize associations between socio-demographic attributes and assignment to the patient clusters.

RESULTS

There were 6 distinct clusters of RRMS patients that differed by symptom patterns, and by their socio-demographic attributes. Most notable were were no differences in age, sex, or disease duration between the least and most impaired classes, representing 14% and 4% of patients, respectively. Patients in the most impaired class were much more likely to be Black American, have a history of smoking, have a higher body mass index, and be of lower socioeconomic status than the least impaired class. There were positive relationships between age and classification to clusters of increasing moderately severe impairment but not the most severe clusters.

CONCLUSION

We present a framework for discerning phenotypic impairment clusters in RRMS. The results demonstrate opportunities for advancing clinical profiling, which is necessary for optimizing personalized MS care models and clinical research.

Orthorexia Nervosa Inventory (ONI): development and validation of a new measure of orthorexic symptomatology

PURPOSE

To overcome the problems associated with existing measures of orthorexia, we assessed the reliability and validity of a new measure: the Orthorexia Nervosa Inventory (ONI).

METHOD

An online survey was completed by 847 people recruited from undergraduate nutrition and psychology courses and from advertisements in Facebook and Instagram targeting both healthy eaters (with keywords such as "clean eating" and "healthy eating") and normal eaters (with keywords such as "delicious food" and "desserts").

RESULTS

Exploratory factor analysis revealed three factors with 9 items assessing behaviors and preoccupation with healthy eating, 10 items assessing physical and psychosocial impairments, and 5 items assessing emotional distress. With this sample, all scales demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.88-0.90) and 2-week test-retest reliability (r = 0.86- 0.87). Consistent with past research, ONI scores were significantly greater among vegetarians and vegans, and among those with higher levels of disordered eating, general obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and compulsive exercise. Additionally, whereas ONI scores did not significantly differ between men and women, the scores were negatively correlated with body mass index.

CONCLUSION

The ONI is the first orthorexia measure to include items assessing physical impairments that researchers and clinicians agree comprise a key component of the disorder. Additionally, at least for the current sample, the ONI is a reliable measure with expected correlations based on the past research.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level V, descriptive cross-sectional study.

Symptom Trajectories of Early Responders and Remitters among Youth with OCD

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the phenomenology and predictors of early response and remission among youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) receiving cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

METHODS

One hundred and thirty-nine youth with a current primary diagnosis of OCD participated in this study. Participants received 10 sessions of CBT augmented by either placebo or d-cycloserine (DCS) as part of a randomized double-blind multi-site clinical trial. Early response and remission status were determined by clinician-rated global symptom improvement (CGI-I) and severity (CGI-S), respectively.

RESULTS

At the mid-treatment assessment, 45.3% of youth were early responders, and 28.1% were early remitters. At post-treatment assessment, 79.1% of youth were responders and 67.6% were remitters. Early response predicted a higher likelihood of post-treatment response and remission; early remission significantly predicted a higher likelihood of post-treatment remission. Bivariate logistic regressions showed that early response was predicted by lower baseline clinician-rated global severity (CGI-S) and lower depression severity; however, only depression severity remained a significant predictor in the multivariable logistic regression model. Furthermore, bivariate logistic regressions showed that early remission was predicted by lower baseline clinician-rated global severity (CGI-S), lower depression severity, and lower obsessive-compulsive symptom severity (CY-BOCS); however, only global severity remained a significant predictor in the multivariable logistic regression model.

CONCLUSIONS

Lower OCD and depression symptom severity predicted a greater likelihood of early treatment response and remission to CBT. Findings suggest that low OCD and depression symptom severity could serve as baseline characteristics to identify potential candidates for lower-intensity initial interventions in a stepped care approach. The modest predictive value of the variables examined suggests that additional factors could add to prediction of treatment response and remission.

A Pilot Study of Family-Based Exposure-Focused Treatment for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Anxiety

Anxiety is a common and impairing condition in youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Evidence supports the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for treating anxiety in this population; however, available treatment protocols may be difficult to implement outside of research settings. The present study examined the efficacy of family-based exposure-focused treatment (FET) compared to a treatment as usual (TAU) control in 32 youth aged 6-17 years with ASD and co-occurring anxiety. Fourteen youth were randomized to FET, which included 12 face-to-face weekly therapy sessions lasing 45-55 min, while 18 youth completed the TAU control where engagement in psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy was at the discretion of the families. Results strongly supported FET with a 79% (versus 0% in TAU) response rate, 86% (versus 0% in TAU) remission in primary anxiety diagnosis, and large between-group effects on clinician-rated anxiety severity and most parent-rated domains of anxiety-related impairment. Among treatment responders, 2-month follow-up supported maintenance of gains. Overall, the study supported FET as a relatively brief intervention for the treatment of anxiety in youth with ASD, although further research is needed to replicate these findings and compare FET outcomes to more comprehensive interventions.

Parental Attitudes Toward Deep Brain Stimulation in Adolescents with Treatment-Resistant Conditions

Objective: To examine parent's perceptions of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and whether DBS is perceived to be a viable and safe treatment for their adolescent child presenting with a severe, treatment-resistant neurological or psychiatric condition. Method: Two hundred and seventy-nine parents completed an online survey using Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Participants were presented with five vignette scenarios involving adolescents with severe, treatment-resistant neurological or psychiatric conditions: Rett syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Tourette syndrome. Parents were then asked to evaluate each scenario and rate overall acceptability of using DBS to improve their child's core symptoms. Data were collected over a period of 2 weeks in the month of October 2018. Results: We found that parents reported favorable impressions of DBS regardless of the target condition, especially when greater improvement could be assured and when their child had the capacity to assist in the treatment decision-making. Parents indicated some reluctance to use DBS when possible safety concerns were present. Familiarity with DBS was directly associated with attitudes. Conclusions: The findings highlight an overall parental willingness to consider DBS as a treatment option for key symptoms of neurological and psychiatric conditions in adolescents.

Diverse diagnostic profiles associated with prescription opioid use disorder in a nationwide sample: One crisis, multiple needs

OBJECTIVE

The opioid crisis has had devastating effects on individuals and communities, and it has rapidly increased in severity. However, we still lack nationally representative information on the diversity of comorbidity patterns among prescription opioid use disorder (P-OUD), other substance use disorders (SUDs), and psychopathology using the newest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). This impedes planning for multiple aspects of intervention, including society-wide allocation of treatment resources, program design at individual treatment centers, and personalized care to individual patients.

METHOD

To address this critical gap in information, we evaluated clinical profiles of American adults via latent class analysis in a large, recently collected epidemiological dataset that uses structured diagnostic assessment for DSM-5 psychopathology (National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III; N = 36,309). Variables considered for profiles included lifetime diagnosis for multiple SUDs, various externalizing and internalizing conditions, and demographic variables. We then associated clinical profiles with demographic variables and functional impairment.

RESULTS

Comorbid psychopathology and other SUDs were common in latent classes with elevated and very high rates of P-OUD. To illustrate, alcohol use disorder rates were greater than 45%, and posttraumatic stress disorder rates were greater than 28% in classes with higher P-OUD rates. Higher P-OUD rates were associated with White/non-Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native populations. Relationships between P-OUD rates and functional impairment were inconsistent.

CONCLUSION

Many current treatment delivery systems are not designed to accommodate the heterogeneous profiles associated with high P-OUD rates. We provide specific suggestions for improvements to the mental health service system, individual clinical care programs, and future research approaches. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Treatment-Refractory Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Adults: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Treatment Strategies

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to assess the cost-effectiveness of 7 treatment strategies for treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adults.

METHODS

A model was developed to evaluate treatment alternatives for adults (18-64 years old) that consisted of 2 parts: a decision analytic model and a Markov model. The decision analytic model stratified 7 outpatient treatment strategies, and the Markov model accumulated benefits and costs across the life expectancy of a simulated cohort of individuals. The model was parameterized with probabilistic and deterministic parameters from the literature and an outcomes database to perform a Monte Carlo simulation of a hypothetical cohort of 100,000 adults with OCD to estimate net health benefits (NHBs), costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for each treatment strategy. OCD was considered treatment refractory in adults with an OCD diagnosis who failed first-line therapies. Encounters took place from 2012 to 2015, and the analyses were performed from November 2016 to February 2017.

RESULTS

Partial hospitalization with step-down to intensive outpatient treatment was the most cost-effective of the 7 strategies, with an estimated ICER of $7,983 and mean (SD) NHB of 10.96 (0.53) quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) remaining. This result was 2.2 QALYs greater than that of the trial-based antidepressant and cognitive-behavioral therapy (ADM + CBT) strategy. Three additional ADM + CBT strategies were estimated not to be statistically significantly different from each other. These 4 ADM + CBT strategies outperformed both pharmacotherapy-only strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment strategies that include higher-intensity CBT, with effectiveness outcomes that approached efficacy estimates, were superior to real-world CBT strategies. However, given the limited availability of high-quality CBT, especially through use of commercial insurance networks, specialized treatment programs offer greater effectiveness than real-world therapies in achieving wellness for this severe patient population.

Reconciling stakeholder interests in the era of open data

While there is great enthusiasm about new data sharing initiatives in mental health research, some concerns have recently been expressed that reflect tension between those who generate data and those who engage in secondary data analysis. While many aspects of data sharing have been considered, some of this tension has not been fully addressed. If this tension continues to go unresolved, enthusiasm for data sharing initiatives may be hindered. The author suggests solutions to these issues after carefully considering respective stakeholder interests (including those of patients, researchers, and funding agencies).

Adolescent Depression: Differential Symptom Presentations in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Youth Using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9

The present study examined differences in symptom presentation in screening for pediatric depression via evaluation of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). In particular, we examined whether PHQ-9 items function differentially among deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH; n = 75) and hearing (n = 75) youth based on participants recruited from crisis assessment services. Multiple indicators multiple causes models were used to examine whether items of the PHQ-9 functioned differently between groups as well as whether there were group differences in the mean severity of depressive symptoms. Results indicate that DHH youth were more likely to endorse psychosomatic items, and less likely to endorse an affective item. These findings indicate that the PHQ-9 functions differently when used with DHH youth. Implications of these findings are discussed, including both for future work with the PHQ-9 and with regard to the conceptualization of depression across hearing groups.

Further Psychometric Evaluation of the Child Disgust Scale

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Child Disgust Scale (CDS) among 457 youth (ages 8-17, M = 14.77 ± 1.98 years) initiating residential treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a bifactor model with two distinct factors of Disgust Avoidance and Disgust Affect, in addition to an overall General Disgust factor. Strong internal consistency was observed for the CDS total and factor scores. In addition, CDS scores demonstrated generally modest and positive correlations with child-reported obsessive-compulsive and anxiety symptoms, weaker correlations with parent-reported anxiety and child-rated impairment, and non-significant correlations with parent-rated impairment. Findings suggest that the CDS displays strong psychometric properties and is developmentally appropriate for use in pediatric clinical populations with obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders.

Symptom correspondence between clinicians and patients on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale

The present study examined concordance between the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and its self-report version (Y-BOCS-SR), as well as theoretically derived moderators. Sixty-seven adults (ages 18-67) with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) were administered the Y-BOCS prior to completing self-report measures. The Y-BOCS-SR generated lower scores relative to the clinician-administered Y-BOCS (5.3 points lower). Strong correspondence was shown between the Y-BOCS and Y-BOCS-SR; however, many items exhibited fair to moderate agreement, particularly the resistance and control against obsessions/compulsions items. Depression significantly moderated correspondence such that Y-BOCS-SR scores significantly predicted Y-BOCS scores in the presence of low and average depression levels in our sample, but not for patients with high levels of depression relative to the rest of our sample; gender, generalized anxiety and obsessionality did not significantly impact agreement. Synthesizing the present data, the Y-BOCS-SR demonstrates modest agreement with the Y-BOCS and may underestimate clinical severity especially for those with high levels of depression.

Common Factors in Pediatric Psychiatry: A Review of Essential and Adjunctive Mechanisms of Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this article is to review the literature on hypothesized behavioral correlates of pharmacotherapy treatment response. A particular focus is placed on what have been referred to as "common factors" across mental health treatments, including medication adherence, therapeutic alliance, motivation for behavior change, and expectancies for positive treatment outcomes. These understudied factors may provide unique explanations for mechanisms of symptom change, patient risk as a result of protocol deviation, and attenuated treatment outcomes.

METHOD

A literature search was conducted to evaluate the relationship between treatment processes in pediatric psychiatry and medication adherence, therapeutic alliance, motivation for behavior change, and expectancies for positive treatment outcomes.

RESULTS

Substantial variability and room for improvement was identified for each common factor. Behavioral protocols have already been developed to address many aspects of common factors in pediatric psychiatric treatment, but are not yet a part of many practice parameters.

CONCLUSION

Interventions to improve common factors can be used immediately in tandem with psychopharmacological interventions to provide increased symptom relief and reduce patient risk. Furthermore, incorporating instruction in common factors interventions can positively affect training of future providers and enhance understanding of the mechanisms of effect of medications. An increased focus on common factors, with a particular emphasis on quantifying the magnitude and mechanisms of their effects on psychopharmacological interventions stand to benefit child patients, their families, treatment providers, training facilities, and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Orthorexia Nervosa: An Examination of the Prevalence, Correlates, and Associated Impairment in a University Sample

Orthorexia nervosa is characterized by an obsession with eating “pure” or “healthy” foods. Despite emergent interest, few studies have been published about orthorexia to date. This study examined the phenomenology, correlates, and associated impairment of orthorexia in 404 undergraduate students. A battery of self-report questionnaires assessed orthorexia symptoms, related functional impairment, disordered eating, perfectionism, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, appearance anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. In total, 35.4% of participants endorsed elevated orthorexia symptoms, with primary concerns related to guilt associated with dietary transgressions and experiencing control when eating in a desired manner. Orthorexia symptoms demonstrated small to medium correlations with associated impairment variables, perfectionism, disordered eating, appearance anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Mean differences were observed across all variables (except depressive symptoms) between individuals elevated and not elevated on orthorexia symptoms. Collectively, this study suggests a relatively high frequency of orthorexia symptoms using current methods (which have significant limitations) and demonstrate fairly modest associations with psychological symptomology.

Correlates of Length of Stay and Boarding in Florida Emergency Departments for Patients With Psychiatric Diagnoses

OBJECTIVE

Length of stay (LOS) and boarding in the emergency department (ED) for psychiatric patients have been the subject of concern, given the problems with crowding and excessive wait times in EDs. This investigation examined correlates of LOS and boarding in Florida EDs for patients presenting with psychiatric complaints from 2010 to 2013.

METHODS

Utilizing the Florida ED discharge database, the authors examined the association of LOS and boarding with hospital and encounter factors for adult patients presenting with a primary psychiatric diagnosis (N=597,541).

RESULTS

The mean LOS was 7.77 hours. Anxiety disorders were the most frequent psychiatric complaint and were associated with the lowest mean LOS compared with other diagnoses (p<.05). Patient encounters resulting in a presentation of intentional self-harm and suicidality or schizophrenia were associated with significantly longer stays compared with other psychiatric diagnoses. Commercial insurance was associated with the shortest average LOS. African Americans, Hispanics, and patients age 45 and older were associated with a longer average LOS. Smaller hospital size, for-profit ownership, and rural designation were associated with a shorter average LOS. Teaching status was not associated with LOS. Furthermore, 73% of encounters resulting in transfers qualified as episodes of boarding (a stay of more than six or more hours in the ED).

CONCLUSIONS

Extended LOS was endemic for psychiatric patients in Florida EDs.

Defining treatment response in trichotillomania: a signal detection analysis

The Massachusetts General Hospital Hairpulling Scale (MGH-HPS) and the NIMH Trichotillomania Severity Scale (NIMH-TSS) are two widely used measures of trichotillomania severity. Despite their popular use, currently no empirically-supported guidelines exist to determine the degrees of change on these scales that best indicate treatment response. Determination of such criteria could aid in clinical decision-making by defining clinically significant treatment response/recovery and producing accurate power analyses for use in clinical trials research. Adults with trichotillomania (N=69) participated in a randomized controlled trial of psychotherapy and were assessed before and after treatment. Response status was measured via the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement Scale, and remission status was measured via the Clinical Global Impressions-Severity Scale. For treatment response, a 45% reduction or 7-point raw score change on the MGH-HPS was the best indicator of clinically significant treatment response, and on the NIMH-TSS, a 30-40% reduction or 6-point raw score difference was most effective cutoff. For disorder remission, a 55-60% reduction or 7-point raw score change on the MGH-HPS was the best predictor, and on the NIMH-TSS, a 65% reduction or 6-point raw score change was the best indicator of disorder remission. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Defining clinical severity in adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder

OBJECTIVE

The Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) is the most commonly used instrument to assess the clinical severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Treatment determinations are often based on Y-BOCS score thresholds. However, these benchmarks are not empirically based, which may result in non-evidence based treatment decisions. Accordingly, the present study sought to derive empirically-based benchmarks for defining obsessive-compulsive symptom severity.

METHOD

Nine hundred fifty-four adult patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), recruited through the Brazilian Research Consortium on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders, were evaluated by experienced clinicians using a structured clinical interview, the Y-BOCS, and the Clinical Global Impressions-Severity scale (CGI-Severity).

RESULTS

Similar to results in treatment-seeking children with OCD, our findings demonstrated convergence between the Y-BOCS and global OCD severity assessed by the CGI-Severity (Nagelkerke R(2)=.48). Y-BOCS scores of 0-13 corresponded with 'mild symptoms' (CGI-Severity=0-2), 14-25 with 'moderate symptoms' (CGI-Severity=3), 26-34 with 'moderate-severe symptoms' (CGI-Severity=4) and 35-40 with 'severe symptoms' (CGI-Severity=5-6). Neither age nor ethnicity was associated with Y-BOCS scores, but females demonstrated more severe obsessive-compulsive symptoms than males (d=.34). Time spent on obsessions/compulsions, interference, distress, resistance, and control were significantly related to global OCD severity although the symptom resistance item pairing demonstrated a less robust relationship relative to other components of the Y-BOCS.

CONCLUSIONS

These data provide empirically-based benchmarks on the Y-BOCS for defining the clinical severity of treatment seeking adults with OCD, which can be used for normative comparisons in the clinic and for future research.

Incidence, clinical correlates and treatment effect of rage in anxious children

Episodic rage represents an important and underappreciated clinical feature in pediatric anxiety. This study examined the incidence and clinical correlates of rage in children with anxiety disorders. Change in rage during treatment for anxiety was also examined. Participants consisted of 107 children diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and their parents. Participants completed structured clinical interviews and questionnaire measures to assess rage, anxiety, functional impairment, family accommodation and caregiver strain, as well as the quality of the child's relationship with family and peers. Rage was a common feature amongst children with anxiety disorders. Rage was associated with a more severe clinical profile, including increased anxiety severity, functional impairment, family accommodation and caregiver strain, as well as poorer relationships with parents, siblings, extended family and peers. Rage was more common in children with separation anxiety, comorbid anxiety, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and behavioral disorders, but not depressive symptoms. Rage predicted higher levels of functional impairment, beyond the effect of anxiety severity. Rage severity reduced over treatment in line with changes in anxiety symptoms. Findings suggest that rage is a marker of greater psychopathology in anxious youth. Standard cognitive behavioral treatment for anxiety appears to reduce rage without adjunctive treatment.

A randomized controlled trial of cognitive-behavioral therapy versus treatment as usual for adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and comorbid anxiety

OBJECTIVE

Examine the efficacy of a personalized, modular cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) protocol among early adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and co-occurring anxiety relative to treatment as usual (TAU).

METHOD

Thirty-one children (11-16 years) with ASD and clinically significant anxiety were randomly assigned to receive 16 weekly CBT sessions or an equivalent duration of TAU. Participants were assessed by blinded raters at screening, posttreatment, and 1-month follow-up.

RESULTS

Youth randomized to CBT demonstrated superior improvement across primary outcomes relative to those receiving TAU. Eleven of 16 adolescents randomized to CBT were treatment responders, versus 4 of 15 in the TAU condition. Gains were maintained at 1-month follow-up for CBT responders.

CONCLUSIONS

These data extend findings of the promising effects of CBT in anxious youth with ASD to early adolescents.

A baseline controlled examination of a 5-day intensive treatment for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder

This study extends support for a 5-day intensive exposure and response prevention (ERP) treatment protocol for pediatric obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Twenty-two children with OCD received ERP treatment twice daily for 5 days. The treatment also emphasized teaching children and parents how to conduct ERP independently after they returned home. Symptoms were assessed at four time-points: Baseline, 4 weeks later at pre-treatment, one week after the intensive treatment 5-day treatment, and at 3 month follow-up. Changes on the primary outcome measure, clinician severity ratings on the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children, and secondary measures, indicated that OCD symptoms remained stable from the evaluation to baseline and improved significantly from baseline to follow-up. Moreover, parental accommodation of OCD decreased significantly from baseline to post-treatment and from post-treatment to follow-up. These data suggest that the 5-day intervention demonstrates efficacy in reducing OCD symptoms and may initiate change in parent accommodation that continues to improve after the family returns home.

Phenomenology and correlates of insight in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is marked by the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions that cause significant interference in an individual's life. Insight regarding symptoms in youth with OCD may affect accurate assessment, acceptance and motivation for treatment, tolerance of negative valence states (i.e., fear) and treatment outcome, so assessment of this construct and associated clinical characteristics is important. Accordingly, the current study sought to expand the literature on symptom insight by examining multi-informant ratings of insight from children, parents, and clinicians simultaneously and its relationship to varied clinical characteristics. One-hundred and ten treatment-seeking youth with a primary diagnosis of OCD, aged 6-17, participated in the study along with a parent/guardian. The nature of symptom conviction, fixity of ideas, and perceptions about the cause of the problems were important indicators in assessing child insight and resulted in a comprehensive, psychometrically-sound measure of insight. Insight was generally not strongly associated with clinical characteristics. Poor insight was moderately associated with less resistance of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, increased externalizing symptoms, and ordering symptoms. Overall, this study contributes further information into the nature and correlates of insight in youth with OCD, and provides a psychometrically sound approach for its assessment.

Inter-rater Reliability of the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV in High-Functioning Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The present study examined inter-rater agreement on the Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule DSM-IV Child and Parent Interview (ADIS-IV-C/P) in high-functioning youth with autism spectrum disorder and if age and ASD diagnosis moderated agreement. Diagnoses established for 70 7 to 16-year-old youth with ASD during a live administration of the ADIS-IV-C/P were compared to diagnoses identified by a second rater after listening to audiotaped recordings of the interviews. Clinician-to-clinician agreement on individual parent and child reports was excellent (k=1.00). Inter-rater agreement on principal diagnoses (k=0.91), individual anxiety diagnoses (k=0.85-0.97), and other comorbid diagnoses (i.e., major depressive disorder, dysthymia, oppositional defiant disorder) (k=0.89-1.00) were excellent; agreement did not differ as a function of ASD diagnosis or age. Results suggest good to excellent inter-rater agreement for disorders assessed by the ADIS-IV-C/P.

Dysregulation in pediatric obsessive compulsive disorder

Although obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and common co-occurring conditions share deficits in self-regulatory abilities, there has been minimal examination of impaired self-regulation (dysregulation) in youth with OCD. This study examined the association of dysregulation with symptom severity, impairment, and treatment outcome in pediatric OCD. Clinicians assessed obsessive-compulsive severity, family accommodation and global severity in 144 youth with OCD. Youth completed self-report severity ratings of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and both children and parents completed parallel ratings of obsessive-compulsive impairment. Ninety-seven youth received cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and were re-assessed after treatment. Dysregulation was assessed using the CBCL-Dysregulation Profile. Before treatment, dysregulated youth exhibited greater obsessive-compulsive symptom severity, depressive mood, family accommodation, and impairment than non-dysregulated youth. The magnitude of dysregulation directly predicted child-rated impairment, parent-rated impairment, and family accommodation, beyond obsessive-compulsive severity. The magnitude of pretreatment dysregulation predicted treatment discontinuation but not treatment response. Obsessive-compulsive symptom severity and dysregulation level significantly decreased after CBT. Dysregulated youth with OCD presented as more clinically severe than their non-dysregulated counterparts, and may require more individualized interventions to reduce dysregulated behavior to prevent CBT attrition. For treatment completers, CBT was associated with a decrease in dysregulation level.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot trial of paliperidone augmentation in serotonin reuptake inhibitor-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder

OBJECTIVE

This pilot study explored the efficacy and tolerability of paliperidone augmentation of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) in adults with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

METHOD

Thirty-four patients aged 24-67 years (mean = 43.7 years, SD = 11.4) who met DSM-IV criteria for OCD and remained symptomatic following 2 or more past adequate SRI trials (including their current medication) were enrolled from May 2008 to March 2012. Participants were treated for 8 weeks in a double-blind study with either paliperidone (up to 9 mg/d) or matching placebo in addition to their SRI. Blinded raters conducted outcome assessments. The primary outcome, obsessive-compulsive symptom severity, was assessed using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS). Secondary outcomes included the Clinical Global Impressions-Severity of Illness and -Improvement scales.

RESULTS

Paliperidone administration resulted in significant baseline-to-posttreatment reductions in obsessive-compulsive symptoms as measured by the YBOCS (P < .01, d = 0.66), although placebo administration also resulted in medium-sized, trend-level significant YBOCS changes (P = .05, d = 0.53). In exploratory analyses examining between-group differences, tests for paliperidone superiority relative to placebo were not significant (P = .14, d = 0.34); however, a numerical trend toward significant between-group differences was found, with a reduction of 7.98 points on the YBOCS for the paliperidone group compared to a reduction of 4.02 points for the placebo group. Paliperidone was generally well tolerated and not associated with significant weight gain (mean [SD] weight: paliperidone, pretreatment 84.70 [27.08] kg, posttreatment 84.84 [18.99] kg; vs placebo, pretreatment 77.50 [25.33] kg, posttreatment 77.43 [19.90] kg; P = .21).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that paliperidone augmentation is well tolerated and has potential efficacy in the short-term treatment of some patients with SRI-resistant OCD. Well-powered, randomized, controlled studies are necessary to more definitively address the efficacy of this treatment strategy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00632229.

Psychometric properties of the obsessive compulsive inventory: child version in children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder

The psychometric properties of the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Child Version (OCI-CV) were examined in ninety-six youth with a primary/co-primary diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A confirmatory factor analysis revealed an acceptable model of fit with factors consisting of doubting/checking, obsessing, hoarding, washing, ordering, and neutralizing. The internal consistency of the OCI-CV total score was good, while internal consistency for subscale scores ranged from poor to good. The OCI-CV was modestly correlated with obsessive-compulsive symptom severity on the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) Severity Scale, as well as with clinician-reported OCD severity. All OCI-CV subscales significantly correlated with the corresponding CY-BOCS Symptom Checklist dimension. The OCI-CV significantly correlated with child-reported depressive symptoms and OCD-related functional impairment, but was not significantly correlated with parent-reported irritability or clinician-reported overall functioning. Taken together, these data suggest the psychometric properties of the OCI-CV are adequate for assessing obsessive-compulsive symptom presence among youth with OCD.

The effect of cognitive-behavioral therapy versus treatment as usual for anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorders: a randomized, controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To examine the efficacy of a modular cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) protocol relative to treatment as usual (TAU) among children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and clinically significant anxiety.

METHOD

A total of 45 children (7-11 years of age) with high-functioning ASD and clinically significant anxiety were randomized to receive 16 sessions of weekly CBT or TAU for an equivalent duration. After screening, assessments were conducted at baseline, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. Raters were blind to treatment condition.

RESULTS

Youth receiving CBT showed substantial improvement relative to TAU on primary anxiety outcomes. Of 24 children randomized to the CBT arm, 18 (75%) were treatment responders, versus only 3 of 21 children (14%) in the TAU arm. Gains were generally maintained at 3-month follow-up for CBT responders.

CONCLUSIONS

Relative to usual care, CBT adapted for anxious youth with high-functioning ASD demonstrates large effects in reducing anxiety symptoms. This study contributes to the growing literature supporting adapted CBT approaches for treating anxiety in youth with ASD.

Agreement between therapists, parents, patients, and independent evaluators on clinical improvement in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder

OBJECTIVE

Independent evaluators (IE) are used widely in clinical trials to make unbiased determinations of treatment response. By virtue of being kept blind to treatment condition, however, IEs are also kept unaware of many pertinent clinical details that are relevant for decisions about clinical improvement. In this study, agreement among raters (children, parents, therapists, and IEs) about treatment response over the course of a 14-week clinical trial for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was examined in order to determine the utility of nonblind clinician and patient ratings of treatment response.

METHOD

Participants were 71 youth (mean age = 12.2 years; 63.4% female) with a primary diagnosis of OCD and their parents participating in a psychotherapy trial. IEs provided response ratings (Clinician's Global Impressions-Improvement Scale; CGI-I) at Weeks 4, 8, and 14, and therapists, children, and parents completed independent CGI-I ratings at Weeks 2, 4, 8, and 14.

RESULTS

Nonlinear mixed models revealed differences in rating parties, with therapists and IEs slower to rate treatment improvement compared with children and parents, and growth curve models suggested that therapists and IEs produced generally consistent ratings. In addition, no evidence was found for an Evaluator × Treatment interaction, indicating that raters displayed these differences consistently across both active and placebo conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

Youth and parents may be able to provide accurate ratings of global improvement; nonblinded treating clinicians (with training in research-oriented assessment) can offer global improvement ratings commensurate with blinded IEs. Findings suggest that alternatives (or additions) to the blinded-IE model may be appropriate for assessing global improvement, especially with the growing emphasis on dissemination and effectiveness trials.

Multiple informant agreement on the anxiety disorders interview schedule in youth with autism spectrum disorders

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine child, parent, and clinician's consensus agreement on the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule, Child and Parent versions (ADIS-C/P) in a sample of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

METHOD

Youth with ASD (n=85; age range=7-17 years) and their parents were each administered the ADIS-C/P by a trained clinician. Consensus diagnoses were determined in a clinical conference using best estimate procedures that incorporated all available information.

RESULTS

Children and youth with ASD diagnoses generally showed poor diagnostic agreement with parents and clinical consensus, whereas parents showed good-to-excellent diagnostic agreement with clinical consensus diagnoses. Diagnostic agreement between parents and consensus was moderated by the specific ASD diagnosis. Otherwise, the pattern of relationships did not systematically differ as a function of age or externalizing comorbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that parent and youth agreement regarding the presence of clinical levels of anxiety is markedly poor among youth with ASD. Additionally, clinicians are likely to base their diagnostic impressions on parent report, placing minimal emphasis on child report.

Rage attacks in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: phenomenology and clinical correlates

OBJECTIVE

Rage attacks have been documented in youth with varied psychiatric disorders, but few data have been reported on the clinical characteristics and correlates of rage attacks among children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

METHOD

Participants were 86 children (ages 6-16 years) with a primary diagnosis of OCD. Patients and their primary caregiver were administered clinician-rated measures of obsessive-compulsive severity and rage severity. Children completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and the Child Sheehan Disability Scale-Child, whereas parents completed the Rage Attacks Questionnaire, Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Irritability Scale, Children's Affective Lability Scale, and Child Sheehan Disability Scale-Parent.

RESULTS

Rage was common among youth with OCD and was associated with varied clinical characteristics. Rage severity accounted for functional impairment beyond the influence of obsessive-compulsive symptom severity; however, these relations were explained by the impact of family accommodation.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that rage attacks are relatively common, have a negative impact on illness presentation, and contribute to functional impairment above and beyond obsessive-compulsive symptom severity. Rage may contribute to family accommodation of symptoms, which may further affect obsessive-compulsive symptom severity and impairment.