Controlled trial of exposure and response prevention in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
BACKGROUND
Exposure and response prevention is considered a treatment of choice for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Yet there have been very few randomised controlled trials employing credible placebo conditions. This study compares exposure and response prevention with a general anxiety management intervention.


METHODS
Eighteen patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for OCD were randomly assigned to either exposure and response prevention or anxiety management. Both treatments involved approximately 15 hours of therapy over a three-week period.


RESULTS
There was a significant reduction in obsessive-compulsive symptoms following treatment with exposure and response prevention, while no change occurred in the control group. This was found to be statistically significant using a composite measure of OCD symptom severity, patient ratings of interference and therapist ratings of symptom severity.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that the symptom reductions associated with behaviour therapy for OCD are a result of the specific techniques of exposure and response prevention, rather than non-specific aspects of the therapy process. General anxiety management techniques are not effective in the treatment of OCD.
Lindsay
M
M
Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety Disorders, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Crino
R
R
Andrews
G
G
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016896:Treatment Outcome