Modular Cognitive Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Wait-List Controlled Trial

The current study examined the efficacy of cognitive therapy (CT) in reducing symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Twenty-nine individuals with OCD were assigned according to therapist availability to a 12-week wait period or the immediate start of 22 sessions (over 24 weeks) of flexible, modular CT. After 12 weeks of treatment, the CT group, but not the wait-list group, exhibited significant improvement in OCD symptoms. The combined sample of patients who underwent 24 weeks of CT improved significantly from pre- to post-treatment and symptoms remained significantly improved at 3-month follow-up. OCD symptoms rose slightly between post-treatment and 12-month follow-up, but, remained significantly lower than at pretreatment. Overall, modular CT appears to be an effective and acceptable treatment for OCD.