Group behavioral therapy of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Seven vs. twelve-week outcomes

Previous research has demonstrated that individualized behavioral exposure and response prevention therapy is an effective treatment for Obsessive-Com pulsive Disorder. In our prior preliminary report, 7-week group exposure an d response prevention therapy was also found effective in reducing obsessio ns and compulsions. The present report describes a larger sample (N=113) of treatment seeking obsessive-compulsives who received group behavioral ther apy. As before, group exposure and response prevention significantly improv ed ratings of obsessions, compulsions, and depression. These improvements w ere maintained at 3-month and long-term follow-up. A sub-sample of patients who received 12 weeks of treatment had outcomes at the end of the group an d at follow-up that did not significantly differ from those who received 7 weeks of treatment. These results confirm the efficacy of a 7-week behavior al treatment program administered in a group format.