title: The role of cognitions in OCD treatment: toward rapprochement.
abstract: The authors of the papers in this special issue have underscored the efficacy of both psychological and pharmacological treatments for OCD. Despite the potency of these interventions, complete symptom remission rarely occurs. Furthermore, problems related to treatment drop-out, the persistence of residual symptoms despite adequate therapy, patients' vulnerability to relapse and recurrence, and the lack of a clear method for managing co-morbidity or treating OCD subtypes remain incompletely addressed. This response to the authors' papers evaluates their positions and extends their papers by examining issues such as how cognitive therapy and exposure and response prevention can best be integrated, the role of medication in OCD treatment, factors that impact treatment readiness and/or resistance, and the need for effectiveness research.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612-7327, USA. cnc@psych.uic.edu
authors.forename: Cheryl N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Carmin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic; D006801:Humans; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*