Author Interviews, Mental Health Research, Pediatrics / 13.05.2021
OCD: Online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Expand Access to Treatment for Children
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Kristina Aspvall | Psychologist, PhD
Eva Serlachius MD PhD Adjunct professor
Professor David Mataix-Cols, PhD
Karolinska Institutet
Department of Clinical Neuroscience
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Research Center
Stockholm
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: The problem we were trying to solve is the shortage of specialist Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). CBT is the first line treatment for children and adolescents with OCD but is a highly specialist treatment rarely available outside large medical centres, typically located in big cities. Previous work by our group and others had shown that it is possible to deliver CBT via the internet in the form of a self-help programme with minimal support from a clinician. The clinician can be located anywhere and provide asynchronous support via a built-in messaging system. Parental support is a key component of the treatment. In essence, the parents take over as the child’s main therapist, under the guidance of the expert clinician.
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