Telephone administered cognitive behaviour therapy for treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder: randomised controlled non-inferiority trial

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy delivered by telephone with the same therapy given face to face in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder. DESIGN: Randomised controlled non-inferiority trial. SETTING: Two psychology outpatient departments in the United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS: 72 patients with obsessive compulsive disorder. INTERVENTION: 10 weekly sessions of exposure therapy and response prevention delivered by telephone or face to face. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Yale Brown obsessive compulsive disorder scale, Beck depression inventory, and client satisfaction questionnaire. RESULTS: Difference in the Yale Brown obsessive compulsive disorder checklist score between the two treatments at six months was -0.55 (95% confidence interval -4.26 to 3.15). Patient satisfaction was high for both forms of treatment. CONCLUSION: The clinical outcome of cognitive behaviour therapy delivered by telephone was equivalent to treatment delivered face to face and similar levels of satisfaction were reported. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN500103984 [controlled-trials.com].