Comparative Study on Efficacy of Various Types of Exposure Response Prevention Therapies on OCD

Objective: The heterogeneity of OCD has various mixed findings related to the treatment procedures, psychological and pharmacological treatment. Consistent research has shown mixed findings regarding which form of ERP, ERP as Habituation tool or ERP as restructuring tool, is more efficacious. Hence this study is done to examine efficacies of various treatment procedures but importantly to propose a possible treatment choices based on efficacy and acceptability in Indian settings for OCD management. Method: Participants were adult outpatients (N=22) with primary OCD selected  from OPD level and randomly assessed to two treatment groups; a) ERP(Habituation only) with SSRI b) ERP (ERP as restructuring tool) with SSRI. Participants received 12-14 exposure sessions, Result and Conclusions: ERP when used as a process of “habituation” is more efficacious in terms of treatment outcomes but when ERP used as both habituation and cognitive restructuring tool is more tolerable and acceptable by patients and also not prone to dropouts.