On April 23, 2024, Michael Wheaton, assistant professor of psychology, was interviewed for a new article in Medscape, titled “Avoidance Predicts Worse Long-Term Outcomes from Intensive OCD Treatment.” In the piece, Wheaton discusses his recent research as lead investigator on findings published in the Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders in April 2024.
Wheaton argues that in a clinical setting, it is important to focus on behavioral avoidance since it is often overlooked when treating OCD. In conducting his research, Wheaton found that patients who participated in a concentrated form of exposure response prevention (ERP) therapy responded well in a short-term period but worsened long-term, which opens the possibility of relapse. His research suggests that more-avoidant patients tend not to respond as well to standard ERP programs. In the future, he hopes to expand his research to more diverse populations and wants to test ways to prevent relapse.