Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder

Discusses the cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy for pediatric obsessive-co mpulsive disorder (OCD). Over the past 15 years, cognitive-behavioral psych otherapy has emerged as the psychosocial treatment of choice for OCD across lifespan. Unlike other psychotherapies that have been applied usually unsu ccessfully to OCD, cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) presents a logicall y consistent and compelling relationship between the disorder; the treatmen t, and the specified outcome. Nevertheless, despite a consensus that CBT is usually helpful, clinicians routinely complain that patients will not comp ly with behavioral treatments and parents routinely complain that clinician s are poorly trained in CBT,: with the result that many if not most childre n and adolescents are denied access to effective psychosocial treatment. Th is unfortunate situation may be avoidable, given an increased understanding regarding the implementation of CBT in children and adolescents with OCD. To this end, we review the principles and the practical aspects of the cogn itive-behavioral treatment of OCD in youth, move an to discuss empirical st udies supporting the use of CBT in the pediatric age group, and conclude by discussing directions for future research.