Cognitive therapy with obsessive-compulsive disorder: a comparative evaluation.
After a 4-week waiting period 21 obsessive-compulsives were randomly allocated to two treatment conditions (1) Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) and (2) exposure in vivo. RET consisted of analysing irrational thoughts; exposure in vivo was self-controlled. After six sessions and another 4-week waiting period all patients received six sessions of exposure in vivo. Both treatments resulted in significant improvement on anxiety/discomfort, Maudsley Obsessional Compulsive Inventory, and Dutch Obsessional Compulsive Questionnaire and in a reduction of scores on the Irrational Beliefs Test. Results were maintained to a follow-up 6 months later. No significant differences were found between the two conditions.
Department of Clinical Psychology, Academic Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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Emmelkamp
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Beens
D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*