Adding Meds to CBT may not improve Treatment of OCD

A recent study compared the results of CBT (intensive exposure and response prevention) for OCD with and without medication (a serotonin reuptake inhibitor). 31 patients who were not on medication when they presented for treatment were treated with CBT only and 25 patients who were on medication when they presented for treatment were treated with CBT plus medication. Outcome data from the two groups showed that both groups showed clinically significant improvement (a 64% reduction in symptomatology) and did not differ significantly from each other.

Treatment was provided under real-life conditions, i.e. subjects recieved treatment in a fee-for-service setting and were not excluded on the basis of comorbidity or treatment history. However, since patients were not assigned randomly to treatment conditions, the possibility that the two groups were biased in some systematic way cannot be ruled out.

Franklin, M. E., Abramowitz, J. S., Bux, D. A., Zoeller, L. A., & Feeny, N. C. (2002). Cognitive-behavioral treatment with and without medicationj in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 33, 162-168.

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