Group behavioral therapy of obsessive-compulsive disorder: seven vs. twelve-week outcomes.
Previous research has demonstrated that individualized behavioral exposure and response prevention therapy is an effective treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. In our prior preliminary report, 7-week group exposure and response prevention therapy was also found effective in reducing obsessions and compulsions. The present report describes a larger sample (N=113) of treatment seeking obsessive-compulsives who received group behavioral therapy. As before, group exposure and response prevention significantly improved ratings of obsessions, compulsions, and depression. These improvements were maintained at 3-month and long-term follow-up. A sub-sample of patients who received 12 weeks of treatment had outcomes at the end of the group and at follow-up that did not significantly differ from those who received 7 weeks of treatment. These results confirm the efficacy of a 7-week behavioral treatment program administered in a group format.
Himle
J A
JA
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0840, USA. himlej@imich.edu
Rassi
S
S
Haghighatgou
H
H
Krone
K P
KP
Nesse
R M
RM
Abelson
J
J
D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome