Habituation is conceptually consistent with multiple mechanistic theories and should continue to be investigated as a practical marker of initial extinction learning and possible moderator of the relationship between fear activation and outcome. Results support the importance of functional and frequent fear measurement during exposures, and discussion considers implications of these findings for future studies aiming to understand learning during exposure and improve exposure delivery. (PsycINFO Database Record
Tic suppression is the primary target of tic disorder treatment, but factors that influence voluntary tic inhibition are not well understood. Several studies using the Tic Suppression Task have demonstrated significant inter-individual variability in tic suppressibility but have individually been underpowered to address correlates of tic suppression. The present study explored patterns and clinical correlates of reward-enhanced tic suppression in youth with tic disorders using a large, pooled dataset. Individual-level data from nine studies using the Tic Suppression Task were pooled, yielding a sample of 99 youth with tic disorders. Analyses examined patterns of tic suppressibility and the relationship between tic suppressibility and demographic and clinical characteristics. A large majority of youth demonstrated a high degree of tic suppression, but heterogeneous patterns of tic suppressibility were also observed. Better tic suppressibility was related to older age and more frequent tics but unrelated to other clinical variables, including presence of psychiatric comorbidity, psychotropic medication status, tic and premonitory urge severity, and self-rated tic suppressibility. The mechanisms underlying the observed heterogeneity in reward-enhanced tic suppressibility warrant further investigation. The Tic Suppression Task is a promising method for testing mechanistic hypotheses related to tic suppression.
Studies have shown a high prevalence of autistic spectrum traits in both children and adults with psychiatric disorders; however the prevalence rate has not yet been investigated in young children with OCD. The aim of the current study was to 1.) determine whether ASD traits indicated by the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) were elevated in young children with OCD who do not have a specific ASD diagnosis and 2.) determine if ASD traits were associated with OCD severity. Participants (N=127) were children ages 5 to 8 years enrolled in the Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment Study for Young Children (POTS Jr.). Results indicated that the SRS showed elevated autistic traits in the sample and was associated with OCD severity whereas the SCQ did not indicate heightened ASD symptoms. Implications of these results are discussed.
Studies have suggested that exposure is a key ingredient in the treatment of youth with anxiety disorders and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), yet there are several barriers to the implementation of exposures. This may reflect the lack of detail in treatment protocols specifically outlining the delivery of exposure and the lack of consensus on treatment mechanism. The aim of this study was to learn how experts treating this population practice exposure treatment and conceptualize treatment mechanism on the basis of their responses on an Internet-based survey. Participants (N = 65) were licensed mental health clinicians who treated youth for primary OCD or for a primary anxiety disorder (generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, social anxiety disorder) within the last year. Results indicated that exposure was widely practiced among our sample. Results on specific endorsements of exposure techniques and mechanism are reported, and clinical and research implications are discussed.
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