Developing of An Internet Supported Self Help Program Based On Cognitive Behavioral Approach for Obsessive – Compulsive Disorder and Evaluation of Its Effectiveness
Project no. 808 · Status: Kapanmış · 2018
Summary
Robust findings in the literature point out that psychological treatment based on cognitive behavioral therapy lead to positive changes in the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) which has detrimental effects on patients’ personal and family lives and their functioning. On the other hand, access and adherence to these treatment modalities is not possible for every person easily. When this condition merges with the nature of this disorder, delay for treatment result is almost inevitable and, in the end, after problem becomes more chronic and complex, then treatment is reached. As an alternative way of treatment, internet supported psychotherapies aim to provide an alternative way for such people who are in need for treatment and many scientific researches revealed quite promising results for several mental problems. This study examines the impact of a guided and internet supported intervention program based on cognitive behavioral therapy approach on OCD symptoms and some accompanied problems. The inclusion criteria of present study were being in a range of 18-65 years old, having OCD as their primary diagnosis and being able to use internet efficiently. After clinical interviews that were initially performed with these potential participants who were being followed with OCD diagnosis by the Ege University, Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Adult Psychiatry Service, who were applied to the same psychiatry clinic and who answered to public announcements in the same hospital, 58 patients who met these criteria were recruited for this study and they were randomly assigned to Internet supported cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT, n= 30) and waiting list control groups (WCG, n= 28). Following exclusion of dropouts, research analyses were conducted with 42 patients who completed post-test assessment. Among assessment measures, there were Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Obsessive Inventory-Short Form, Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire, Inferential Confusion Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and World Health Organization Life Quality Scale-Short Form. Statistical comparisons of pre and post-test assessments with two-way variance analyses revealed that there were significant drops in some main measures such as symptom severity, obsessive beliefs, inferential confusion and depressive symptoms between ICBT and control groups. The results of paired sample t-tests with post-test and follow up assessments showed that v these positive changes maintained for one month after intervention program. The findings on the life quality dimensions also indicated that body health was the only dimension that made change after intervention and preserved in follow-up. Moreover, in order to control possible effect of drop out factor as one of the limitations that are frequently reported in similar internet supported programs, the intention to treat analyses were performed and the results revealed that this ICBT program was effective to decrease the OCD symptoms and beliefs. In the last section, all findings are discussed in the light of relevant literature results and limitations of study as well as clinic implications are presented