AT Parenting Survival | Raising Kids with OCD & Anxiety · Natasha Daniels: Child Therapist, Child Anxiety and Child OCD Expert

PSP 416: Groundbreaking Study on Virtual ERP for Kids with OCD – with Dr. Sara Conley from NOCD

April 29, 2025·31 min·3 clips

Natasha Daniels reveals a groundbreaking study on virtual ERP for kids that has floored her with its results.

This episode features host Natasha Daniels interviewing Dr. Sarah Conley from the organization NoCD about a new study on virtual Exposure and Response Prevention therapy for children. Natasha Daniels is a child therapist specializing in anxiety and OCD, and Dr. Conley is a researcher with NoCD. The study examined the effectiveness of delivering ERP therapy virtually to young people. The research involved 62 youths with OCD who received 12 weeks of virtual ERP treatment. Participants were aged 7 to 17 and had a primary diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The treatment was conducted entirely through telehealth video sessions with trained therapists. Dr. Conley details the structure of the therapy sessions and the role of parents in the virtual process. She explains how exposures, a core component of ERP, were adapted for the online format. The study measured outcomes using the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. Dr. Conley reports significant reductions in OCD symptom severity for the participants. A key finding was that 70% of the youths in the study were classified as treatment responders. Dr. Conley states that 58% of participants achieved remission from their OCD diagnosis by the end of treatment. She emphasizes that these results are comparable to outcomes typically seen with in-person ERP therapy. The virtual format reportedly increased accessibility for families who might otherwise face barriers to treatment. Natasha expresses surprise at the high remission rate, calling the data "groundbreaking." Dr. Conley discusses how virtual therapy can engage children using their own home environments for exposures. The conversation is educational and interview-based, with Natasha asking detailed questions to explain the study's methodology and implications. The tone is hopeful and focused on practical applications for parents seeking help. This episode is ideal for parents of children with OCD who are curious about telehealth treatment options. Listeners seeking a critical analysis of the study's limitations or a debate on therapy modalities might find the discussion less comprehensive.

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