Comparing Scores From Full Length, Short Form, and Adaptive Tests of the Social Interaction Anxiety and Social Phobia Scales
The current study developed and examined the performance of a computerized adaptive version of the Social Interaction Anxiety and Social Phobia Scales (SIAS/SPS) and compared results with a previously developed static short form (SIAS-6/SPS-6) in terms of measurement precision, concordance with the full forms, and sensitivity to treatment. Among an online sample of Australian adults, there were relatively minor differences in the performance of the adaptive tests and static short forms when compared with the full scales. Moreover, both adaptive and static short forms generated similar effect sizes across treatment in a clinical sample. This provides further evidence for the use of static or adaptive short forms of the SIAS/SPS rather than the lengthier 20-item versions. However, at the individual level, the adaptive tests were able to maintain an acceptable level of precision, using few items as possible, across the severity continua in contrast to the static short forms.
COVID-19 related differences in the uptake and effects of internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy for symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder
Background: The impacts of COVID-19 for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may be considerable. Online cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) programmes provide scalable access to psychological interventions, although the effectiveness of iCBT for OCD during COVID-19 has not been evaluated.
Aim: This study investigated the uptake and effectiveness of iCBT for OCD (both self- and clinicianguided courses) during the first 8 months of the pandemic in Australia (March to October 2020) and compared outcomes with the previous year.
Method: 1,343 adults (824/1343 (61.4%) female, mean age 33.54 years, SD = 12.00) commenced iCBT for OCD (1061 during the pandemic and 282 in the year before) and completed measures of OCD (Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale) and depression (Patient Health Questionaire-9) symptom severity, psychological distress (Kessler-10), and disability (WHO Disability Assessment Schedule) preand post-treatment.
Results: During COVID-19, there was a 522% increase in monthly course registrations compared with the previous year, with peak uptake observed between April and June 2020 (a 1191% increase compared with April to June 2019). OCD and depression symptom severity were similar for the COVID and pre-COVID groups, although COVID-19 participants were more likely to enrol in self-guided courses (versus clinicianguided). In both pre- and during-COVID groups, the OCD iCBT course was associated with medium effect size reductions in OCD (g = 0.65–0.68) and depression symptom severity (g = 0.56–0.65), medium to large reductions in psychological distress (g = 0.77–0.83) and small reductions in disability (g = 0.35–.50).
Conclusion: Results demonstrate the considerable uptake of online psychological services for those experiencing symptoms of OCD during COVID-19 and highlight the scalability of effective digital mental health services.
A randomised controlled trial of 'MUMentum postnatal': Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety and depression in postpartum women
Maternal anxiety and depression is common during the first 12 months after childbirth (i.e., postpartum period), with 10–15% of mothers likely to meet diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder or Major Depressive Disorder (MDD; Dennis, Falah-Hassani, & Shiri, 2017; Woody, Ferrari, Siskind, Whiteford, & Harris, 2017). If left untreated, anxiety and depression adversely affect both the mother and infant (e.g., reduced maternal self-care, poor childhood emotional and behavioural development; Stein et al., 2014). Despite the deleterious effects of postpartum mental health problems, effective treatments exist.