Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental health problem that causes significant distress and interferes with daily functioning. Fortunately, research has shown that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a psychological treatment, works to treat OCD. Despite this, many people have difficulty accessing treatment due to obstacles such as limited availability of affordable clinicians in their area, a long distance to travel to services, and long waiting lists. One way to bypass these obstacles might be to deliver CBT over the Internet. The proposed project aims to improve OCD treatment accessibility by investigating the efficacy of Internet CBT (ICBT), with and without therapist support, in treating OCD. Participants will be recruited from the community by media and online advertisements. Those with OCD who meet eligibility criteria will be assigned by chance to receive treatment for OCD by either: (a) face-to-face group CBT, (b) therapist-assisted ICBT, or (c) non therapist-assisted ICBT. Face-to-face group CBT treatment will involve 12 90-120 minute weekly group CBT sessions. ICBT treatment will involve 12 online treatment modules. Participants in the therapist-assisted condition will communicate weekly with a therapist by phone and email to discuss each module, ask questions, problem solve, and receive encouragement, while participants in the non-therapist-assisted condition will complete the modules on their own. To assess treatment outcome, participants will complete questionnaires and interviews about their OCD symptoms before and after treatment. We will then compare treatment outcomes across the three treatment conditions. The proposed research may lead to an important new way to deliver treatment to those with OCD. The use of the Internet to deliver treatment has clinical practice and policy implications as it may prove a cost-effective way to increase access to treatment for those facing obstacles to care.