Cognitive-behavioral therapy and integrated approaches in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has long been considered a treatment-refractory mental condition. Neither pharmacologic nor psychodynamic therapy has been proven to treat OCD effectively. Yet the prognosis for OCD has changed dramatically in recent years with the introduction of behavior therapy and the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Many studies have shown that behavior therapy, especially exposure with response prevention, and SSRIs reduce obsessive-compulsive symptoms significantly. Still, many unanswered questions - including the role of cognitive therapy in the treatment of OCD, exposure therapy vs multimodal behavioral therapy, individual versus group therapy, outcome predictors in adults, adolescents, and children, and the role of combination treatment using an SSRI and cognitive-behavioral therapy - remain. This article will explore these issues as well as suggest directions for further research into OCD.