Predictors of response to group cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the presence of factors associated with treatment outcome in patients under group cognitive-behavioral therapy (GCBT) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).


METHODS
This study evaluated 181 patients with OCD that attended a 12-session weekly GCBT program. Response criteria were: >/=35% reduction in Y-BOCS scores and global improvement score of the Clinical Global Impression (CGI)</=2 at post-treatment evaluation. Sociodemographic data, OCD characteristics, and treatment data were studied.


RESULTS
In the bivariate analysis, the following variables showed statistical significance (p<0.20) to enter the regression model: being woman (p=0.074), greater insight (p=0.017) and better quality of life (QOL) in all domains before treatment (p=0.053), overall severity of disease according to the CGI (p=0.007), number of associated comorbidities (p=0.063), social phobia (p=0.044), and dysthymia (p=0.072). In the final regression model, these variables were associated with response to GCBT: female gender (p=0.021); WHOQOL-BREF psychological domain (p=0.011); insight (p=0.042); and global improvement score of the CGI severity-scale before therapy (p=0.045).


CONCLUSIONS
Special attention should be paid to patients with poor insight, increasing the cognitive aspects of the therapy in an attempt to modify the rigidity and fixity of their beliefs. In addition, male patients should be more observed, since they showed lower chance of response to GCBT when compared to women. Patients with more severe global symptoms (CGI) are poorer responders to GCBT, which indicates that not only obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) should be evaluated, since other symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, may affect the treatment; therefore, an attempt to reduce these symptoms, prior to the treatment of OCD, should be considered as an option in some cases.
Raffin
Andréa Litvin
AL
Graduate Program in Medical Sciences: Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2400, CEP 90035-003 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. alitvin@terra.com.br
Guimarães Fachel
Jandyra Maria
JM
Ferrão
Ygor Arzeno
YA
Pasquoto de Souza
Fernanda
F
Cordioli
Aristides Volpato
AV
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001364:Awareness; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D011594:Psychometrics; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome