NCJ Number
211722
Journal
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Volume: 44 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2005 Pages: 1005-1014
Date Published
October 2005
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This study assessed the long-term outcomes of individual and group cognitive-behavioral family therapy for childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Abstract
Childhood OCD is associated with high stress levels and poor family functioning. Research has suggested moderate success in treating OCD with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). The current study evaluated the long-term outcomes associated with individual and group CBT for the treatment of childhood OCD and further explored the pretreatment predictors of long-term outcomes. Participants were 48 youth ages 8 to 19 years who had received either individual or group cognitive-behavioral family therapy. Participants and parents completed a series of assessment instruments at 12 and 18 months following treatment completion, measuring diagnostic and symptom severity, child anxiety and depression, and parental distress. Results of statistical analyses indicated that 70 percent of participants who completed individual CBT and 84 percent of participants who completed group CBT were diagnosis free at follow-up. No significant differences were observed between individual and group CBT. In terms of pretreatment predictors of long-term outcomes, the findings suggested that higher pretreatment severity of symptoms and higher family dysfunction predicted worse long-term outcomes. The findings show that cognitive-behavioral family therapy, whether conducted individually or within a group, can provide long-term relief from OCD symptoms. Clinical implications are discussed and include the importance of focusing on family dysfunction to improve long-term outcomes. Future research should include extensive randomized controlled trials for cognitive-behavioral family therapy, medication, other therapy, and combination conditions. Tables, references