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Behavior therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder

J H Greist1

  • 1Dean Foundation for Health, Research and Education, Madison, Wis. 53717-1914.

The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
|October 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Behavior therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) relies on exposure and response prevention. Most patients achieve significant gains with this approach, even when administered as homework, highlighting its effectiveness and accessibility challenges.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Behavioral Science
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental health condition.
  • Behavior therapy, specifically exposure and response prevention, is a key treatment for OCD.
  • Historically, naturalistic approaches were used before systematic identification of effective elements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the essential components of behavior therapy for OCD.
  • To emphasize the efficacy of exposure and response prevention, particularly through homework assignments.
  • To address the public health issue of limited access to effective OCD treatments.

Main Methods:

  • Focus on in vivo exposure and ritual/response prevention as core therapeutic elements.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Utilize clinician-patient planned homework sessions with written records for treatment modification.
  • Analyze outcomes based on patient acceptance and adherence to behavior therapy.

    • Main Results:

    • Exposure and response prevention are identified as the crucial elements for successful OCD behavior therapy.
    • Therapist accompaniment is often unnecessary, with homework being a highly effective delivery method.
    • Approximately 90% of patients who engage in behavior therapy achieve substantial improvements.

    Conclusions:

    • Exposure and response prevention are the indispensable components of effective behavior therapy for OCD.
    • Homework-based delivery of these techniques is highly successful and can be managed with minimal therapist oversight.
    • The limited availability of behavior therapy for OCD represents a significant public health concern requiring attention.