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The Immediate Effects of Exposure Versus Response Prevention in the Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2009

Ger P. J. Keijsers
Affiliation:
University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Cees A. L. Hoogduin
Affiliation:
University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Cas P. D. R. Schaap
Affiliation:
University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Trix de Jong
Affiliation:
University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Erica de Koning
Affiliation:
University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Abstract

Several empirical studies suggest that exposure in vivo and response prevention have a differential treatment effect on the complaints presented by patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In the present study it was hypothesized that exposure in vivo would result in a greater decrease of obsessional fear, whereas response prevention would result in a greater decrease of rituals. Forty patients, diagnosed with OCD, participated in the study. Half of the patients received exposure in vivo alone, followed by response prevention alone, and half received response prevention alone, followed by exposure in vivo alone. No differential treatment effects between exposure in vivo alone and response prevention alone could be found, although ritualistic behaviour was less strongly affected by exposure in vivo following response prevention.

Type
Main Section
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 1995

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