Addition of cognitive-behaviour therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder patients non-responding to fluoxetine

Objective: Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) have both proven to be effective in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). It is generally recommended that adequate but unsuccessful SSRI treatment is supplemented with CBT, although only one empirical study was conducted to verify this recommendation. The present study examined the effects of supplemental CBT to continued fluoxetine treatment in OCD patients non-responding to fluoxetine alone. Method: After 12 weeks of fluoxetine, 14 of 56 out-patients had a reduction rate less than 25% on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and were classified as non-responders. They subsequently received 12 sessions CBT additional to the continued fluoxetine treatment. Results: The mean symptom reduction as rated by the Y-BOCS, for the patients who completed both treatment phases, was 8.5% in the first phase and 41% in the second phase. Conclusion: Supplemental CBT for OCD patients, after initial, unsuccessful fluoxetine treatment is shown to be effective.