Research Outputs and Publications
Read from a selection of our research outputs
Our research initiative at Griffith University has generated a substantial body of peer-reviewed research spanning the development, evaluation, and dissemination of evidence-based cognitive behavioural interventions for obsessive–compulsive disorder and specific phobia. Collectively, these publications reflect a strong focus on translating rigorous clinical research into effective, developmentally appropriate treatments for children, adolescents, and their families.
A selection of peer-reviewed publications from the OCD Busters research initiative is presented below.
- Freeman, K., & Farrell, L. J. (2025). Multi-technology Parent Training in Exposure and Response Prevention for Youth with Obsessive-Compulsive disorder. Psychiatric Clinics, 48(4), 753-765. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2025.06.006
- Farrell, L. J., & Storch, E. A. (Eds.). (2025). Innovative Models of Care: Improving Treatment Access, An Issue of Psychiatric Clinics of North America: Innovative Models of Care: Improving Treatment Access, An Issue of Psychiatric Clinics of North America, E-Book (Vol. 48, No. 4). Elsevier Health Sciences.
- Racz, J. I., Perkes, I. E., Bialocerkowski, A., Dyason, K. M., Grisham, J. R., McKenzie, M. L., & Farrell, L. J. (2025). Australian Clinicians’ Capabilities, Opportunities, and Motivations in Implementing Exposure and Response Prevention for Youth with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Exploratory Study. Children, 12(2), 156. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12020156
- Racz, J. I., Perkes, I. E., Bialocerkowski, A., Dyason, K. M., Grisham, J. R., McKenzie, M. L., & Farrell, L. J. (2025). Training community clinicians in implementing CBT-ERP for youth with OCD: A pilot study in Australian community mental health services. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-024-01805-z
- Racz, J. I., Bialocerkowski, A., Calteaux, I., & Farrell, L. J. (2024). Determinants of exposure therapy implementation in clinical practice for the treatment of anxiety, OCD, and PTSD: A systematic review. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 27(2), 317-341. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-024-00478-3
- Farrell, L.J., Waters, A.M., Storch, E.A., Simcock, G., Perkes, I.E., Grisham, J.R., Dyason, K.M., & Ollendick, T.H. (2023). Closing the Gap for Children with OCD: A staged-care model of cognitive behavioural therapy with exposure and response prevention. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review. link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10567-023-00439-2
- Cooper, D. D. J., Perkes, I. E., Lam-Po-Tang, J., Farrell, L. J., Brakoulias, V., & Grisham, J. R. (2023). Finding help for OCD in Australia: development and evaluation of a clinician directory. Australian Psychologist, 58(3), 190–197. doi.org/10.1080/00050067.2023.2189003
- Selles, R. R., Best, J. R., Lu, C., Soreni, N., Farrell, L. J., Mathieu, S., & Stewart, S. E. (2023). Challenges of insight assessment in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: Initial results and clinical considerations from a measure development study. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 36, 100774. doi.org/10.1016/J.JOCRD.2022.100774
- Kroon, R., Bothma, N., Mathieu, S., Fontenelle, L. F., & Farrell, L. J. (2022). Parental surveillance of OCD and mental health symptoms during COVID-19: A longitudinal study of Australian children, adolescents and families. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 152, 225–232. doi.org/10.1016/J.JPSYCHIRES.2022.06.002
- Abramovitch, A., Abramowitz, J. S., McKay, D., Cham, H., Anderson, K. S., Farrell, L. J., Geller, D. A., Hanna, G. L., Mathieu, S., McGuire, J. F., Rosenberg, D. R., Stewart, S. E., Storch, E. A., & Wilhelm, S. (2022). An ultra-brief screening scale for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: The OCI-CV-5. Journal of Affective Disorders, 312, 208–216. doi.org/10.1016/J.JAD.2022.06.009
- Farrell, L. J., Waters, A. M., Tiralongo, E., Mathieu, S., McKenzie, M., Garbharran, V., Ware, R. S., Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J., McConnell, H., Lavell, C., Cadman, J., Ollendick, T. H., Hudson, J. L., Rapee, R. M., McDermott, B., Geller, D., & Storch, E. A. (2022). Efficacy of D-cycloserine augmented brief intensive cognitive-behavioural therapy for paediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: A randomised clinical trial. Depression and Anxiety, 39(6), 461–473. doi.org/10.1002/DA.23242
- Farrell, L. J., Nabinger de Diaz, N. A., Mathieu, S., McKenzie, M. L., Miyamoto, T., Donovan, C. L., Waters, A. M., March, S., Bothma, N., Kroon, R., Simcock, G., Ware, R. S., Selles, R. R., Storch, E. A., & Ollendick, T. (2022). FAST CBT for pediatric OCD: A multiple-baseline controlled pilot trial of parent training in exposure and response prevention delivered via telehealth. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. doi.org/10.3389/FPSYG.2022.1009735
- Canavera, K. E., Ollendick, T. H., Farrell, L. J., & Whiteside, S. P. H. (2022). A Five-Day Intensive Treatment for Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Multiple Baseline Design Pilot Study. Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 8(1), 120–132. doi.org/10.1080/23794925.2022.2034553
- Racz, J. I., Mathieu, S. L., McKenzie, M. L., & Farrell, L. J. (2022). Paediatric Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder and Comorbid Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Clinical Expression and Treatment Response. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 54(4), 1005–1014. doi.org/10.1007/S10578-022-01314-X/TABLES/4
- McKenzie, M. L., Donovan, C. L., Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J., Waters, A. M., Mathieu, S. L., & Farrell, L. J. (2020). Examining parent-report of Children’s emotion regulation in paediatric OCD: Associations with symptom severity, externalising behaviour and family accommodation. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 25, 100508. doi.org/10.1016/J.JOCRD.2020.100508
- McKenzie, M. L., Donovan, C. L., Mathieu, S. L., Hyland, W. J., & Farrell, L. J. (2020). Variability in emotion regulation in paediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: Associations with symptom presentation and response to treatment. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 24, 100502. doi.org/10.1016/J.JOCRD.2019.100502
- Selles, R. R., Naqqash, Z., Best, J. R., Franco-Yamin, D., Qiu, S. T., Ferreira, J. S., Deng, X., Hannesdottir, D. K., Oberth, C., Belschner, L., Negreiros, J., Farrell, L. J., & Stewart, S. E. (2021). Effects of Treatment Setting on Outcomes of Flexibly-Dosed Intensive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Pediatric OCD: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 669494. doi.org/10.3389/FPSYT.2021.669494/BIBTEX
- Mathieu, S. L., Conlon, E. G., Waters, A. M., & Farrell, L. J. (2020). Perceived Parental Rearing in Paediatric Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: Examining the Factor Structure of the EMBU Child and Parent Versions and Associations with OCD Symptoms. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 51(6), 956–968. doi.org/10.1007/S10578-020-00979-6/TABLES/4
- Storch, E.A., Peris, T.S., De Nadai, A., Piacentini, J., Bloch, M., Cervin, M., McGuire, J., Farrell, L.J., McCracken, J.T., McKay, D. and Riemann, B.C., 2020. Little Doubt That CBT Works for Pediatric OCD. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 59(7), pp.785-787. 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.01.026
- Selles, R. R., Højgaard, D. R. M. A., Ivarsson, T., Thomsen, P. H., McBride, N. M., Storch, E. A., Geller, D., Wilhelm, S., Farrell, L. J., Waters, A. M., Mathieu, S., & Stewart, S. E. (2020). Avoidance, Insight, Impairment Recognition Concordance, and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Outcomes in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 59(5), 650-659.e2. doi.org/10.1016/J.JAAC.2019.05.030
- Farrell, L. J., Lavell, C., Baras, E., Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J., & Waters, A. M. (2020). Clinical expression and treatment response among children with comorbid obsessive compulsive disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders, 266, 585–594. doi.org/10.1016/J.JAD.2020.01.144
- Mataix-Cols, D., de La Cruz, L. F., Monzani, B., Rosenfield, D., Andersson, E., Pérez-Vigil, A., Frumento, P., de Kleine, R. A., Difede, J. A., Dunlop, B. W., Farrell, L. J., Geller, D., Gerardi, M., Guastella, A. J., Hofmann, S. G., Hendriks, G. J., Kushner, M. G., Lee, F. S., Lenze, E. J., … Rück, C. (2017). D-Cycloserine Augmentation of Exposure-Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Individual Participant Data. JAMA Psychiatry, 74(5), 501–510. doi.org/10.1001/JAMAPSYCHIATRY.2016.3955
- Farrell, L. J., Oar, E. L., Waters, A. M., McConnell, H., Tiralongo, E., Garbharran, V., & Ollendick, T. (2016). Brief intensive CBT for pediatric OCD with E-therapy maintenance. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 42, 85–94. doi.org/10.1016/J.JANXDIS.2016.06.005
- Farrell, James, Maddox, Griffiths, White. (2016). OCD and Comorbid ASD - the case of Max. In "Clinical handbook of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders: A Case-Based Approach to Treating Paediatric and Adult Populations" Eric Stroch and Adam Lewis (Eds.)
- Milliner, Cadman & Farrell (2016). Aggressive Obsessions. In "Clinical handbook of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders: A Case-Based Approach to Treating Paediatric and Adult Populations". Eric Stroch and Adam Lewis (Eds.)
Farrell, L. J., & Milliner, E. L. (2014). Intensive Cognitive Behavioural Treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in Children and Adolescents. Journal of Experimental Psychopathology, a1(1), 182–188. doi.org/10.5127/PR.034113 - Farrell, L. J., Waters, A. M., Boschen, M. J., Hattingh, L., McConnell, H., Milliner, E. L., Collings, N., Zimmer-Gembeck, M., Shelton, D., Ollendick, T. H., Testa, C., & Storch, E. A. (2013). Difficult-to-treat paediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: feasibility and preliminary results of a randomized pilot trail of D-cycloserine-augmented behaviour therapy. Depression and Anxiety, 30(8), 723–731. doi.org/10.1002/DA.22132
- Farrell, L. J., Hourigan, D., & Waters, A. M. (2013). Do mothers enhance responsibility in children with obsessive–compulsive disorder? A preliminary study of mother–child interactions during a problem solving discussion. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 2(2), 78–84. doi.org/10.1016/J.JOCRD.2012.12.001
- Farrell, L. J., Waters, A. M., & Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J. (2012). Cognitive Biases and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Children: Examining the Role of Maternal Cognitive Bias and Child Age. Behavior Therapy, 43(3), 593–605. doi.org/10.1016/J.BETH.2011.10.003
- Farrell, L., Waters, A., Milliner, E., & Ollendick, T. (2012). Comorbidity and treatment response in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: A pilot study of group cognitive-behavioral treatment. Psychiatry Research, 199(2), 115–123. doi.org/10.1016/J.PSYCHRES.2012.04.035
- Byrne, S. P., Farrell, L. J., & Rapee, R. M. (2011). Using cognitive enhancers to improve the treatment of anxiety disorders in young people: Examining the potential for D‐cycloserine to augment exposure for child anxiety. Clinical Psychologist, 15(1), 1–9. doi.org/10.1111/J.1742-9552.2011.00005.X
- Farrell, L. J., Schlup, B., & Boschen, M. J. (2010). Cognitive–behavioral treatment of childhood obsessive–compulsive disorder in community-based clinical practice: clinical significance and benchmarking against efficacy. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48(5), 409–417. doi.org/10.1016/J.BRAT.2010.01.004
- Barrett, P., Farrell, L., Dadds, M., & Boulter, N. (2005). Cognitive-Behavioral Family Treatment of Childhood Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Long-Term Follow-up and Predictors of Outcome. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 44(10), 1005–1014. doi.org/10.1097/01.CHI.0000172555.26349.94
- Barrett, P. M., Healy-Farrell, L., Piacentini, J., & March, J. (2004). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Childhood and Adolescence: Description and Treatment. Handbook of Interventions That Work with Children and Adolescents: Prevention and Treatment, 187–216. doi.org/10.1002/9780470753385.CH9
- Barrett, P., Healy-Farrell, L., & March, J. S. (2004). Cognitive-behavioral family treatment of childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder: a controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 43(1), 46–62. doi.org/10.1097/00004583-200401000-00014
- Calteaux, I. G., Neumann, D. L., & Farrell, L. J. (2025). Therapeutic Processes that Impact Child Outcomes Following Exposure Therapy for Child Specific Phobias. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-025-01902-7
- Calteaux, I. G., Hutchinson, E. C., Neumann, D. L., & Farrell, L. J. (2026). Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Remote Parent Training in Exposure Therapy for Youth Specific Phobia. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-026-02014-6
- Calteaux, I., Simcock, G., & Farrell, L. J. (2024). Current State of the Science of Brief, Concentrated and Intensive Treatments. Brief CBT and Science-Based Tailoring for Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults, 49-72.
- Trimarchi, L., Simcock, G., Calteaux, I., Waters, A. M., Ollendick, T. H., & Farrell, L. J. (2025). Watch Out, it Bites! An Examination of Threat Information Transmission from Parents to Young Children with Specific Phobias. Behavior Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2025.08.008
- Trimarchi, L., Waters, A. M., Simcock, G., & Farrell, L. J. (2025). Specific Phobia in Young Children: Associations between the Origins of Fear and Clinical Expression of Phobia Symptoms. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 34(4), 1018-1030. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-025-03040-z
- Farrell, L., Waters, A., Oar, E., Tiralongo, E., Garbharran, V., Alston-Knox, C.,Ollendick, T. H. (2018). D-cycloserine-augmented one-session treatment of specific phobias in children and adolescents. Brain and Behaviour, 8(6), e00984.
- Ollendick, T. H., Öst, L. G., & Farrell, L. J. (2018). Innovations in the psychosocial treatment of youth with anxiety disorders: implications for a stepped care approach. Evidence-based mental health, 21(3), 112-115.
- Farrell, L. J., Kershaw, H., & Ollendick, T. (2018). Play-modified one-session treatment for young children with a specific phobia of dogs: A multiple baseline case series. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 49(2), 317-329.
- Kershaw, H., Farrell, L. J., Donovan, C., & Ollendick, T. (2017). Cognitive behavioural therapy in a one-session treatment for a preschooler with specific phobias. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 31(1), 7-22.
- Oar, E. L., Farrell, L. J., Conlon, E. G., Waters, A. M., & Ollendick, T. H. (2017). Patterns of Response and Remission Following a One-Session Treatment for Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia in Youth. Child & Family Behaviour Therapy, 39(1), 43-63.
- Oar, E.L., Farrell, L.J., Waters, A.M., & Ollendick, T.H. (2016). Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia in Youth: Psychological characteristics relative to youth with Animal Phobia. Behaviour Therapy, 47, 3112-324.
- Roberts, Farrell, Waters, Ollendick (2016). Parents' Perceptions of Novel Treatments for Child and Adolescent Specific Phobia and Anxiety Disorders. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, DOI 10.1007/s10578-015-0579-2
- Oar, E. L., Farrell, L. J., & Ollendick, T. H. (2015). One Session Treatment for Specific Phobias: An Adaptation for Pediatric Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia in Youth. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review.
- Oar, E.L., Farrell, L.J., Waters, A.M., Conlon, E.G., & Ollendick, T.H. (2015). One-Session Treatment for Pediatric Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia: A controlled multiple baseline trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 73, 131-142.
- Ollendick, T. H., Halldorsdottir, T., Fraire, M. G., Austin, K. E., Noguchi, R. J., Lewis, K. M., ... & Whitmore, M. J. (2015). Specific phobias in youth: A randomised controlled trial comparing one-session treatment to a parent-augmented one-session treatment. Behaviour therapy, 46(2), 141-155.
- Oar, E., & Farrell, L.J., (2014) Intensive Cognitive Behavioural Treatment Phobias in Youth. Psychopathology Review, 1(1), 175-181.
- Waters, A. M., Farrell, L. J., Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J., Milliner, E., Tiralongo, E., Donovan, C. L., McConnell, H., Bradley, B. P., Mogg, K., & Ollendick, T. H. (2014). Augmenting one session treatment of children’s specific phobias with attention training towards positive stimuli. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 62, 107-119.
- Ollendick, T. H., Öst, L. G., Reuterskiöld, L., Costa, N., Cederlund, R., Sirbu, C., ... & Jarrett, M. A. (2009). One-session treatment of specific phobias in youth: a randomized clinical trial in the United States and Sweden. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 77(3), 504.
Contact Details
E-mail: ocdbustersgc@griffith.edu.au
Location
- Level 7 Ian O'Connor Building (G40)
- Griffith University, Gold Coast
- Parklands Drive Southport Qld 4222