A Self-help Website for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Who is Accessing the Website?

The OCD Challenge is an interactive self-help website for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is often untreated and many barriers prohibit access to an evidence-based intervention including cost, lack of providers, and stigma. Analysis of 436 website participant's demographic data revealed that 63.1% were female, 80.5% were Caucasian, the mean age was 33.37 and the mean age of onset was 15.37. Results of the 436 website users showed a significant positive correlation between Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) assessment scores and disability as well as anxiety and stress scores. Future studies should examine the feasibility of the OCD Challenge at decreasing OCD, disability, depression, anxiety, and stress scores.     

Quaranteens: Prepandemic relationship quality and changes in adolescent internalizing problems during the COVID-19 pandemic

This preregistered longitudinal study examined changes in adolescents' depressive and anxiety symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using latent additive piece-wise growth models. It also assessed whether support from and conflict with mothers, fathers, siblings, and best friends explained heterogeneity in change patterns. One hundred and ninety-two Dutch adolescents (Mean age: 14.3 years; 68.8% female) completed online biweekly questionnaires for a year (November 2019–October 2020), consisting of a prepandemic, lockdown, and reopening phase. Depressive symptoms increased following the lockdown and decreased upon reopening. Anxiety symptoms showed an immediate decrease followed by a gradual increase in the reopening phase. Prepandemic family and best friend support and conflict did not explain heterogeneity in depressive and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.