Cognitive Therapy for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Cognitive therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) may be at least as effective and less stressful as the current psychological treatment of choice, exposure and response prevention (ERP). Cognitive therapy studies will be reviewed and a case example used to illustrate specific cognitive treatment techniques.

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The Efficacy of Exposure and Response Prevention for Geriatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Clinical Case Illustration

Case Reports in Psychiatry ◽

10.1155/2012/394603 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Mairwen K. Jones ◽

Bethany M. Wootton ◽

Lisa D. Vaccaro

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Clinical Case ◽

Psychological Treatment ◽

Response Prevention ◽

Exposure And Response Prevention ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Clinical Case Study ◽

History Of

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the most frequently occurring psychiatric conditions in older adults. While exposure and response prevention (ERP) is considered the most effective psychological treatment for children and adults with OCD, research investigating its effectiveness for older adults is scarce. This clinical case study investigates the effectiveness of ERP in an 80-year-old man with a 65-year history of OCD. The client received 14 individual, 50-minute ERP treatment sessions. Clinician-based Y-BOCS scores reduced by 65% from 20 (moderate) at pretreatment to 7 (subclinical) at 7-month posttreatment followup. OCI-R total scores reduced by 45% from 38 at baseline to 21 at 7-month follow-up. Despite his long history of the disorder, ERP was effective and well tolerated. The application of ERP for older adults with OCD, including age-specific modifications that may be required for this treatment approach, is discussed.

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Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for the Management of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Behaviour Change ◽

10.1375/bech.18.1.28 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 28-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kate Sofronoff

Keyword(s):

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Best Practice ◽

Psychological Treatment ◽

Response Prevention ◽

Exposure And Response Prevention ◽

Behaviour Therapy ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Cognitive Behaviour ◽

Treatment Measures

AbstractCurrent research reflects conflict regarding best practice in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The present study reports on the psychological treatment of a 54-year-old woman diagnosed with OCD, and follows the implementation of pharmacological treatment. The study utilises both exposure and response prevention (ERP) and cognitive therapy (CT), although there was no attempt to compare these approaches in an experimental design. Measures of avoiding and neutralising behaviours were taken on three occasions across treatment. Measures were also taken of intrusive thoughts, appraisal of responsibility, and effective challenging, both across treatment and at follow-up. The results indicate that gains were made in addition to those reported following the implementation of medication. The results also suggest that the addition of CT to exposure and response prevention facilitates the extinction of neutralising behaviours.

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