The Psychological Treatment of Obsessive-compulsive Disorder

Overview

Journal Can J Psychiatry

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2006 Jul 15

PMID 16838822

Citations 57

Authors

Jonathan S Abramowitz

Affiliations

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Abstract

The psychological treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with exposure and response prevention (ERP) methods is one of the great success stories within the field of mental health. Within the span of about 20 years, the prognosis for individuals with OCD has changed from poor to very good as a result of the development of ERP. This success not with-standing, the procedures are far from perfect because a substantial minority of patients still either refuse treatment, drop out prematurely, or fail to benefit. I begin this article with a review of the development of ERP from early animal research on avoidance learning conducted during the 1950s. Next, I discuss the mechanisms of ERP. The bulk of the article reviews the treatment-outcome literature on ERP for OCD and includes comparisons with cognitive therapy--the "new kid on the block" with respect to psychological treatments for OCD.

Citing Articles

Effectiveness of Video Teletherapy in Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Children and Adolescents With Exposure and Response Prevention: Retrospective Longitudinal Observational Study.

Feusner J, Farrell N, Nunez M, Lume N, MacDonald C, McGrath P J Med Internet Res. 2025; 27:e66715.

PMID: 39869894 PMC: 11811664. DOI: 10.2196/66715.

From Cognitive Function to Treatment Efficacy in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Insights from a Multidimensional Meta-Analytic Approach.

Harkin B, Yates A J Clin Med. 2024; 13(16).

PMID: 39200772 PMC: 11355017. DOI: 10.3390/jcm13164629.

Patient adherence as a predictor of acute and long-term outcomes in concentrated exposure treatment for difficult-to-treat obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Tjelle K, Opstad H, Solem S, Kvale G, Wheaton M, Bjorgvinsson T BMC Psychiatry. 2024; 24(1):327.

PMID: 38689256 PMC: 11059693. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05780-6.

Ketamine Infusion in a Resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Patient in Bangladesh with Severe Suicidal Ideation: A Case Report.

Algin S, Banik D, Rahman S, Mahmud Tusher S, Johora F, Akter A Cureus. 2024; 16(4):e57877.

PMID: 38596207 PMC: 11002706. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.57877.

A mobile app to challenge obsessional beliefs in adolescents: a protocol of a two-armed, parallel randomized controlled trial.

Saman Y, Pascual-Vera B, Corberan M, Arnaez S, Roncero M, Garcia-Soriano G BMC Psychiatry. 2024; 24(1):265.

PMID: 38594680 PMC: 11003130. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05735-x.