title: The effect of a couple-based treatment for OCD on intimate partners.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the effect of a couple-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) on the intimate partners of patients. Previous research has shown this intervention to be efficacious in reducing OCD symptoms and comorbidities in patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In an open-treatment trial, 16 couples completed the 16-session manualized treatment, and were followed up 6- and 12-months post-treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multilevel modeling analyses were conducted to examine change over time, and results indicated that relative to baseline, partners showed improvements in relationship functioning, communication, and criticalness in the short-term, and maintained their gains in communication skills over the long-term.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The non-controlled design and small sample size limit the certainty of the study's findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, this investigation offers preliminary evidence that including intimate partners in couple-based CBT for OCD has no negative effects on partners, and in fact, can provide them with residual positive effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. Electronic address: belus@live.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Belus
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
authors.forename: Donald H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Baucom
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Abramowitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D019546:Couples Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cognitive behavioral therapy; Obsessive-compulsive disorder; Partner effects; Relationship functioning