Eric A Storch

Baylor College of Medicine | BCM · Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Justice-based exposure and response prevention (ERP) has been touted as an alternative approach to (mis)uses and “Fear Factor” overcorrection applications of ERP for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with identity-related themes (i.e., sexual orientation, gender identity, racism, age, disability/diagnostic status, and economic-themed.). Justice-b...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) share overlapping features for which similar cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) strategies can be employed. However, the comorbid presence of these conditions poses unique clinical considerations, and a nuanced approach to assessment, conceptualization, and treatment is...

Prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) appears to be higher in sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals compared to cisgender, heterosexual individuals. Although existing self-report measures for OCD (i.e., Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale Self-Report-II-Self Report [Y-BOCS-II-SR], Dimensional Obsessive Compulsive Scale [DOCS],...

The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) is one of the most commonly used instruments for assessing and quantifying the presence and severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. Both the interview and self-report (SR) version of the original Y-BOCS have demonstrated good psychometrics, however, areas for revision were noted r...

Given diverse symptom expression and high rates of comorbid conditions, the present study explored underlying commonalities among OCD-affected children and adolescents to better conceptualize disorder presentation and associated features. Data from 830 OCD-affected participants presenting to OCD specialty centers was aggregated. Dependent mixture m...

Monogenic disorders account for a large proportion of population-attributable risk for neurodevelopmental disabilities. However, the data necessary to infer a causal relationship between a given genetic variant and a particular neurodevelopmental disorder is often lacking. Recognizing this scientific roadblock, 13 Intellectual and Developmental Dis...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently co-occur, and phenotypic and functional similarities between the disorders necessitate assessment and treatment considerations by providers. To date, no research has reported on mental health treatment providers’ approach to, and barriers associated with, assess...

The ongoing debate within neuroethics concerning the degree to which neuromodulation such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) changes the personality, identity, and agency (PIA) of patients has paid relatively little attention to the perspectives of prospective patients. Even less attention has been given to pediatric populations. To understand patient...

INTRODUCTION Despite the success of DBS for the treatment of refractory OCD, there are currently no robust neural signatures for obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms or initial mood and energy improvements associated with DBS. This gap may be due to limited opportunities available for conducting intracranial electrophysiological recordings during nat...

INTRODUCTION Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral capsule/ventral striatum (VC/VS) improves symptoms in ∼66% of patients with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, a common adverse effect of VC/VS DBS is hypomania, marked by decreased need for sleep and increased risk-taking behaviors. Modern DBS devices have enab...

This study seeks to examine the relationship between anxiety-symptom severity and sleep behaviors in autistic children receiving cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). We conducted a secondary-data analysis from a sample of 93 autistic youth, 4 to 14 years, participating in 24 weeks of CBT. Clinicians completed the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (PARS...

Research specific to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among individuals of Hispanic and Latin American (H/L) ancestry is limited, as are culturally-relevant assessment and treatment recommendations. The present paper discusses the implications of underrepresentation of H/L populations in OCD research and emphasizes the need to consider issues re...

Background. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with more severe and chronic OCD. However, findings regarding treatment effectiveness of cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) with exposure and response prevention (ERP) with this comorbidity are mixed. Research aimed at understanding...

Background Artificial intelligence (AI)-based computer perception technologies (e.g., digital phenotyping and affective computing) promise to transform clinical approaches to personalized care in psychiatry and beyond by offering more objective measures of emotional states and behavior, enabling precision treatment, diagnosis, and symptom monitorin...

Integration of measurement-based care (MBC) into clinical practice has shown promise in improving treatment outcomes for depression. Yet, without a gold standard measure of MBC, assessing fidelity to the MBC model across various clinical settings is difficult. A central goal of the Texas Youth Depression and Suicide Research Network (TX-YDSRN) was...

The aim of this study was to examine worsening of OCD symptoms after childbirth in individuals seeking assessment or treatment of OCD. The postpartum period may make parents biologically and psychologically vulnerable to OCD symptoms. Participants included 222 parents with OCD who completed surveys through a self-help website. Most women and almost...

Brief exposure to traumatic memories using script‐driven imagery (SDI) has been proposed as a promising treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study investigated the effect of SDI plus active versus sham deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial for adults with PTSD ( N =...

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder characterized by bone fragility and fractures, short stature, dental abnormalities, hearing loss, scoliosis, and chronic pain. Despite a growing literature on the functional outcomes of OI, limited research has explicitly examined the psychosocial outcomes of pain within OI. Adults with OI (N = 15)...

To develop reliable, valid, and efficient measures of severity of OCD and comorbid depression and electrical deep brain stimulation (DBS), we trained and compared random forests regression models in a clinical trial of participants receiving DBS for refractory OCD. Six participants were recorded during open-ended interviews at pre- and post-surgery...

Background A brief, parent-led, transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach demonstrated utility among youth struggling with emotional problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Homework completion between sessions is directly associated with psychotherapy treatment outcomes in non-parent-led CBT interventions. The present study sought...

Background Cognitive‐behavioral therapy (CBT) and serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) are recommended treatments for pediatric obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD), but their relative efficacy and acceptability have not been comprehensively examined. Further, it remains unclear whether the efficacy of in‐person CBT is conserved when delivered in ot...

Persistent tic disorders (PTD) such as Tourette’s syndrome (TS) are common childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorders. Stigmatization of individuals with these disorders remains an ongoing problem. The purpose of this scoping review is to serve as an updated review of the research regarding stigmatization in youth with PTD since the publication o...

Objective: To evaluate psychometrically and provide crosswalks between 3 self-report measures of depressive symptomatology in youth in psychiatric care settings. Ratings included the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A), a widely used 9-item self-report; the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Report (QIDS-SR16...

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) in children and adolescents is a neurobehavioral condition that can lead to functional impairment in multiple domains and decreased quality of life. We review the clinical presentation, diagnostic considerations, and common comorbidities of pediatric OCD. An overview of the biological and psychological models of...

Youth may be particularly vulnerable to negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic due to acute and chronic stressors (e.g., social distancing) during a critical period of development. The present study examined factors associated with COVID-19-related posttraumatic stress and anxiety in high school students in China (N = 294) during May 2020....

Purpose Clinically ascertained variants are under-utilized in neurodevelopmental disorder research. We established the Brain Gene Registry (BGR) to coregister clinically identified variants in putative brain genes with participant phenotypes. Here, we report 179 genetic variants in the first 179 BGR registrants and analyze the proportion that were...

Obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder. Worldwide, its prevalence is ~2% and its etiology is mostly unknown. Identifying biological factors contributing to OCD will elucidate underlying mechanisms and might contribute to improved treatment outcomes. Genomic studies of OCD are beginning to reveal long‐sought risk...

Background Therapeutic alliance and decreases in negative cognitions may play an important role in the outcomes of child trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. However, understanding alliance from multiple perspectives (i.e., therapist, parent, and child) and if changes in negative cognitions differ by type of delivery is limited. Objective...

Objective Anxiety and depression often coexist in youth and share overlapping symptomatology; however, little is known about the comorbidity of anxiety and depression in autistic youth. This study explores (1) the frequency of depressive symptoms among autistic children with clinically significant anxiety, (2) clinical variables that may be associa...

Introduction: Computer-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy (CCBT) for childhood anxiety disorders may aid the dissemination of CBT, while maintaining treatment fidelity. Although CCBT is an effective intervention, not everyone benefits equally from treatment. Identifying patient characteristics that predict who will benefit from treatment and to...

Objective The Children’s Saving Inventory (CSI) is a measurement tool developed to assess hoarding behavior in children. This study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the CSI in a clinical sample of children and adolescents. Materials and Methods The study sample consisted of 52 children and adolescents diagn...

Background Little research has examined telehealth delivery of habit reversal training (HRT) for body focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs; i.e., trichotillomania and excoriation disorder) and no known studies have directly compared these two modalities relative to one another. The present study examines providers and their perceptions of in-person...

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of psychiatric disorders have focused primarily on individuals of European ancestry, excluding other ancestries, including Latin American populations. We explore representation of Latin American populations in psychiatric genetics, with a focus on eating disorders. Latin America is “admixed,” representing the...

Background Deep brain stimulation is approved for treating refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder in adults under the US Food and Drug Administration Humanitarian Device Exemption, and studies have shown its efficacy in reducing symptom severity and improving quality of life. While similar deep brain stimulation treatment is available for pediatr...

This study evaluated COVID-19-related intrusive thoughts and associated ritualistic behaviors (CITRB). From March to May 2020, 1,118 Chinese high school students, college students, psychiatric outpatients, and community members completed a survey assessing CITRB, generalized anxiety, depression, somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and pand...

Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders include obsessive-compulsive disorder, hoarding disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder), and excoriation (skin-picking) disorder. This volume reviews the phenomenology and epidemiology of each of the disorders. Next, it reviews how the disorders are maintained, from bio...

Objective: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which includes a decided emphasis on exposure and response/ritual prevention (ERP) and between-session practice of treatment principles, has consistently demonstrated efficacy for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and is a gold standard, recommended first-line treatment. CBT with ER...

Introduction: Pediatric deep brain stimulation (pDBS) is commonly used to manage treatment-resistant primary dystonias with favorable results and more frequently used for secondary dystonia to improve quality of life. There has been little systematic empirical neuroethics research to identify ethical challenges and potential solutions to ensure re...

Background: Anxiety disorders (ADs) are common in youth with autism and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) may be less efficacious than among anxious youth without autism. Yet, little is known about which aspects of anxiety are targeted less effectively by CBT in youth with autism. Method: We pooled youth with autism and ADs randomized to CBT or a...

Introduction Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is utilized to treat pediatric refractory dystonia and its use in pediatric patients is expected to grow. One important question concerns the impact of hope and unrealistic optimism on decision-making, especially in “last resort” intervention scenarios such as DBS for refractory conditions. Objective This...

Misophonia is an often chronic condition characterized by strong, unpleasant emotional reactions when exposed to specific auditory or visual triggers. While not currently defined within existing classification systems, and not clearly fitting within the framework of extant psychiatric conditions, misophonia has historically been studied most freque...

Autistic youth often present with comorbid anxiety and depression yet there is a dearth of validated assessment tools. The Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) assesses internalizing symptoms but there is little psychometric data in autistic youth. Treatment-seeking autistic youth with anxiety or obsessive-compulsive symptoms (N...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by engagement in rituals that serve to obtain certainty and prevent feared outcomes. Exposure and response prevention is most effective when rituals are resisted, yet existing self-report measures of OCD limit identification of the full range of possible rituals, and little is known about how rit...

Childhood obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is among the most prevalent and disabling mental health conditions affecting children and adolescents. Although the distress and burden associated with childhood OCD are well documented and empirically supported treatments are available, there remains an unacceptable “treatment gap” and “quality gap” in...

Misophonia is characterized by decreased tolerance of ordinary human-generated trigger sounds and associated visual stimuli (e.g., chewing, sniffing, lip smacking), coupled with intense affective reactions. The disorder often begins during childhood or adolescence and is associated with impairment and distress in numerous life domains. Research has...

Background: American youth are seriously impacted by depression and suicide. The Texas Youth Depression and Suicide Research Network (TX-YDSRN) Participant Registry Study was initiated in 2020 to develop predictive models for treatment outcomes in youth with depression and/or suicidality. This report presents the study rationale, design and baseli...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an impairing psychiatric condition affecting 1-2% of adults and youth. Cognitive-behavioral therapy with exposure and response prevention (CBT) is an efficacious intervention but requires specialty training and access is often limited. While certain factors are associated with treatment access, one key barrier that...

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a pleiotropic, heritable connective tissue disorder associated with a wide range of health implications, including frequent bone fracture. While progress has been made to understand the spectrum of these physical health implications, the impact of OI on psychosocial well-being, as well as protective factors that buff...

p>Reliable, valid, efficient measurement of symptom severity in internalizing disorders is critical to gauge treatment response. Self-report and clinical interview are subjective and difficult to standardize, impose patient burden, and lack granularity. We tested the hypothesis that comprehensive sampling of audio and visual modalities during open-...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders, and depressive disorders are highly comorbid, and each contribute to significant functional impairment for affected youth. Comorbid anxiety disorders in depressed youth have been associated with greater depressive symptom severity and impairment, but the impact of comorbid OCD in this populati...

Background: Misophonia is characterized by intense emotional reactions to specific sounds or visual stimuli and typically onsets during childhood. An obstacle for research and clinical practice is that no comprehensively evaluated measures for pediatric misophonia exist. Methods: In a sample of 102 youth meeting the proposed diagnostic criteria of...

Introduction Although effortful control—the ability to restrain impulsive reactions in favor of more adaptive responses—has been identified as a protective factor for childhood anxiety, the protective effects of effortful control in terms of anxious children’s social/adaptive functioning remains unexplored. The present study examined the moderating...

Research into misophonia treatments has been limited and it is unclear what treatment approaches may be effective. This systematic review extracted and synthesized relevant treatment research on misophonia to examine the efficacy of various intervention modalities and identify current trends in order to guide future treatment research. PubMed, Psyc...

The purpose of this study was to report current practices and attitudes of child and adolescent psychiatrists (CAP) regarding diagnostic genetic and pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing. We surveyed 958 US-based practicing CAP. 54.9% of respondents indicated that they had ordered/referred for a genetic test in the past 12 months. 87% of respondents agreed...

Background: Cardiovascular disease remains the leading worldwide cause of mortality. There has been increased awareness of the impact of psychological health on cardiovascular disease. In particular, major depression has been linked to increased all-cause mortality, development of cardiovascular disease, and worse outcomes in those with existing c...

INTRODUCTION Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective neurosurgical option for patients with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (TROCD). Despite being more costly than neuroablative procedures of comparable efficacy, DBS has gained popularity for its reversibility. Though its cost-effectiveness has been investigated in movement d...

The present study aimed to: (a) identify latent class trajectories of OCD-related functional impairment, before, during and over three years after stepped-care treatment in children and adolescents with OCD; (b) describe these classes according to pretreatment characteristics; (c) identify predictors of trajectory class membership and (d) examine t...

Background: Although childhood exposure to parental threatening behaviors is associated with elevated anxiety in emerging adulthood, the underlying mechanisms remain unexplored. Perceived stress-a subjective experience comprised of feelings of helplessness (being unable to cope or exert control) and poor self-efficacy (confidence in one's ability...

Objective: Minimal guidance is available in the literature to develop protocols for training non-clinician raters to administer semi-structured psychiatric interviews in large, multi-site studies. Previous work has not produced standardized methods for maintaining rater quality control or estimating interrater reliability (IRR) in such studies. Our...

Background Hurricane Harvey struck southeast Texas in August 2017 resulting in widespread destruction and significant emotional distress. Objective We examined the effectiveness of a transdiagnostic psychotherapeutic intervention delivered to youth with emotional disorders in a large, community health system following this hurricane. Methods One...