Cognitive-behavioral group therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: a 1-year follow-up

• Published in: Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica Vol. 112; no. 3; pp. 180 - 186
• Main Authors: Braga, D. T., Cordioli, A. V., Niederauer, K., Manfro, G. G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Munksgaard International Publishers 01-09-2005; Blackwell; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Anxiety disorders. Neuroses; Behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical outcomes; Cognitive therapy; Cognitive Therapy - methods; Female; Follow-Up Studies; group; Group therapy; Humans; longitudinal studies; Male; Medical sciences; Neuroses; obsessive-compulsive disorder; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - diagnosis; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - therapy; Obsessive-compulsive disorders; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; psychotherapy; Recurrence; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatments; Human; Obsessive compulsive disorder; Cognitive therapy; Treatment; Follow up study; Anxiety disorder; Behavior therapy; Group psychotherapy
• ISSN: 0001-690X; 1600-0447
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2005.00559.x

Objective:  The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of cognitive‐behavioral group therapy (CBGT) for obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) over a 1‐year follow‐up period.
Method:  Forty‐two OCD patients, who completed 12 sessions of CBGT, were followed for 1 year. Measures of the severity of symptoms were obtained at the end of the acute treatment and at 3, 6, and 12 months post‐treatment using the Yale‐Brown obsessive–compulsive scale (Y‐BOCS) and the clinical global impression (CGI).
Results:  The reduction in the severity of symptoms observed at the end of the treatment was maintained during 1 year (F2,41 = 1.1; P = 0.342). Eleven patients (35.5%) relapsed in the follow‐up period. The intensity of improvement (log rank = 12.97, GL = 1, P = 0.0003) and full remission (log rank = 6.17; GL = 1; P = 0.001) were strong predictors for non‐relapsing.
Conclusion:  The CBGT is an effective treatment for OCD and its results are maintained for 1 year. However, further long‐term randomized controlled trials are needed in order to confirm this finding.