BELIEFS AND RESISTANCE IN OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER - OBSERVATIONS FROM A CONTROLLED-STUDY

Obsessive-compulsive (OC) beliefs, resistance to the obsession and con trollability of urges to ritualise, were examined in OC outpatients at baseline and subsequently in a controlled trial. Patients were random ised to nine weekly sessions of either (a) live plus imaginal exposure plus response prevention (Exi, n = 23) or (b) live exposure alone plu s response prevention (Ex, n = 23). Patients were asked to carry out 9 0 min of daily self-exposure homework corresponding to Exi or Ex. At p osttreatment, Exi patients changed less than Ex patients on resistance to obsessions (YBOCS) and on strength and fixity of beliefs. During f ollow-up, these measures remained more stable in Exi than in Ex and we re more reduced than avoidance, though overall percentage of improveme nt on most measures since week 0 was similar in both treatment conditi ons. Change in beliefs did not relate to clinical outcome. OC patients may present typical OCD features despite having neither insight into OC beliefs nor resistance to accompanying rituals.