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A maintenance program for obsessive-compulsive disorder using exposure with response prevention: 2-year follow-up
1Department of Psychology, Fordham University, New York, NY 10023, USA.
Behaviour Research and Therapy
|April 1, 1997
Summary
A 2-year study found that a maintenance program helped obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients sustain treatment gains. Patients effectively managed symptom relapse without further therapy, though depression improvements were not sustained.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Therapy
Background:
- Relapse prevention is crucial for long-term obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) management.
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a primary treatment for OCD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the 2-year effectiveness of a maintenance program for OCD patients treated with ERP.
- To assess long-term adjustment and relapse management in OCD.
Main Methods:
- A 2-year follow-up study of OCD patients who received ERP.
- Assessment of anxiety, obsessions, compulsions, and depression using standardized measures.
- Evaluation of patient self-management of lapses (limited symptom return).
Main Results:
- Patients maintained significant gains in OCD symptoms and associated anxiety over 2 years.
- Patients effectively managed symptom lapses independently.
- Treatment gains for comorbid depression were not consistently maintained.
Conclusions:
- Maintenance programs are effective in sustaining long-term OCD treatment gains.
- Relapse prevention strategies should address psychological symptoms beyond acute OCD.
- Further research is needed to improve depression outcomes in OCD treatment.