ABSTRACT
Objectives: There are limited studies examining the effectiveness of virtual intensive outpatient programs (IOPs). We examined outcome differences on self-reported scales between teens completing a fully virtual IOP at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and those completing a hybrid program once restrictions were eased. Method(s): A baseline sample of 133 teen patients enrolled in a San Jose community clinic's virtual and hybrid IOP from April 2020 to May 2022 was obtained from our electronic health record. Propensity scores were generated to match patients based on similar characteristics (age, sex, and time in program), and differences in survey scores were analyzed between the 2 groups at week 4 (n = 52) and week 7 (n = 39). Parent scores were also compared (n = 31 and 20, respectively). Result(s): By teen report, there were no significant differences detected by delivery format at 4 or 7 weeks for mood (p =.19,.17), stress (p =.07,.12), sleep (p =.38,.47), appetite (p =.43,.99), safety (p =.21,.14), parent interaction (p =.44,.46), peer interaction (p =.96,.89), or school (p =.51,.80). There were no significant differences for parent report at the same time periods: mood (p =.83,.35), stress (p =.81,.62), sleep (p =.97,.86), appetite (p =.45,.77), safety (p =.90,.58), parent interaction (p =.44,.39), peer interaction (p =.94,.50), or school (p =.66,.97). Teens did report significant positive changes in mood (p =.01) and sleep (p =.5) in the hybrid program, school (p =.03) in the virtual program at 4 weeks, and in mood (p =.01) at 7 weeks in the hybrid program. Parents reported significant changes in mood in both the virtual (p =.04) and hybrid (p =.01) programs at 7 weeks. Conclusion(s): According to our data, no significant overall differences in improvement were seen between either mode of delivery. Given that both modes of delivery showed significant positive changes in mood at 4 and 7 weeks by both parent and teen self-reports, it seems that IOP treatment was helpful irrespective of the mode of delivery. Future studies comparing a hybrid model to an in-person program will help clarify the significance that the mode of delivery of treatment in an IOP setting has on self-reported improvement ratings. Additionally, it would be prudent to look at dropout rates in different settings. ADOL, TVM, DTT Copyright © 2022