Paradoxial therapy and behavioral therapy in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder

ABSTRACT

Ninety-two outpatients with obsessive-compulsive disorder [OCD] were randomly assigned to receive either medication with paradoxical or behavioral therapy. The treatment program continued for six months. Evaluation after the first three months showed an improvement of 39 patients from the group treated by paradoxical therapy; after six months, they decreased to 35 patients. They were compared with 29 patients in the group treated by behavioral therapy, who were improved within the first three months and decreased also to 22 patients, who improved after six months. Most of the patients, who were treated by paradoxical therapy, showed a better improvement. The superiority of paradoxical therapy over the behavioral therapy was clearly demonstrated