Treatment Barriers and Modality Preferences Among Individuals With Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders.

Objectives: Facing numerous barriers to care, most individuals experiencing symptoms of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders do not receive evidence-based treatment. While much existing literature has identified barriers to mental health treatment broadly, little empirical work has assessed barriers specifically within a sample of individuals with obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, whose identified barriers and treatment preferences may differ from other clinical samples. In particular, this information is lacking for pediatric samples.

Methods: The current study examined treatment barriers and modality preferences among individuals (N = 216; 48 adults and 168 parents of youth) receiving telehealth-based treatment for obsessive-compulsive and related disorders.

Results: Participants endorsed an array of barriers to treatment, including barriers to both in-person and telehealth treatment modalities. Time and distance to in-person treatment were the most influential barriers associated with a preference for telehealth treatment, while difficulty building rapport with the clinician via telehealth and telehealth feeling impersonal were the most influential barriers associated with a preference for in-person treatment. Participants who indicated that clinician expertise was important in their decision-making were more likely to prefer in-person treatment, while participants who indicated that cost of treatment was important in their decision-making were more likely to prefer telehealth treatment.

Conclusion: Findings can inform future efforts to increase the accessibility and uptake of evidence-based interventions for obsessive-compulsive and related disorders.