CBT Offers More Specific Treatment of OCD, Says Danish Study
A recently published Danish study of treatments for obsessive compulsive disorder suggests that cognitive behavioural therapy offers more specific antiobsessional effects than a standard medication, although CBT together with the medication provided the greatest overall improvement in mood. CBT remains the most studied of all psychotherapy approaches, with a growing body of research supporting its effectiveness.
One of the May issues of the Danish journal Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica, which is published in English, carried an article entitled Cognitive behaviour therapy and medication in the treatment of obsessive–compulsive disorder, indicating that CBT has a more specific antiobsessional effect than medication but CBT plus medication shows the greatest overall clinical improvement in mood.
The study of 48 individuals with symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder compared a standard treatment with medication (fluvoxamine), with cognitive behavioural therapy, and with cognitive behavioural therapy plus the medication.
The study found that all active treatments, but not the placebo (given to the control group), showed clinical improvement. There was no difference in treatment response to CBT regardless of whether participants had previously received medication or placebo.
Other articles by Dr Greg Mulhauser, Managing Editor
This article was last reviewed by Dr Greg Mulhauser, Managing Editor on Wednesday, 12th April 2006.
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