Fabrizio Didonna1, Mariangela Lanfredi, Erica Xodo, Clarissa Ferrari, Roberta Rossi, Laura Pedrini. 1. DIDONNA: Unit for OCD, Department of Psychiatry, Villa Margherita Private Hospital, and Italian Institute for Mindfulness, Vicenza, Italy LANFREDI, ROSSI, and PEDRINI: Unit of Psychiatry, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy XODO: Italian Institute for Mindfulness, Vicenza, Italy FERRARI: Service of Statistics, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the first-choice intervention for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); however, a notable proportion of patients either do not respond to treatment or relapse after CBT. Mindfulness-based treatment has been suggested as an alternative or complementary therapeutic strategy for OCD. However, only a few studies have focused on its application in clinical samples. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a new treatment, called "Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for OCD." It is an 11-session manualized group intervention that integrates elements of CBT, mindfulness, compassion-focused therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy. METHODS: The program was delivered to 35 patients with a primary diagnosis of OCD. RESULTS: Participants demonstrated good adherence to the intervention. There was a significant reduction in mean total score on the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS-TS) (P<0.001; Cohen d=-0.72). One third of the participants (n=13) showed at least a 25% reduction on the Y-BOCS-TS, and 40% of the sample (n=14) were assigned to a lower Y-BOCS severity category after treatment. Significant changes were also found in depression (P<0.001; d=-0.80), worry (P<0.001; d=-0.79), alexithymia (P<0.01; d=-0.41), dissociation (P<0.05; d=-0.46), and general psychopathology (P<0.001; d=-0.58). Repeated measures linear mixed models showed that OCD symptom reduction was associated with an increase in mindfulness skills, in particular on the acting with awareness (P=0.006), nonjudging (P=0.001), and nonreactivity (P=0.001) facets. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these findings are promising and they suggest that randomized controlled studies be conducted to test the effectiveness of this new treatment program for this challenging and disabling mental disorder.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the first-choice intervention for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); however, a notable proportion of patients either do not respond to treatment or relapse after CBT. Mindfulness-based treatment has been suggested as an alternative or complementary therapeutic strategy for OCD. However, only a few studies have focused on its application in clinical samples. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a new treatment, called "Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for OCD." It is an 11-session manualized group intervention that integrates elements of CBT, mindfulness, compassion-focused therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy. METHODS: The program was delivered to 35 patients with a primary diagnosis of OCD. RESULTS:Participants demonstrated good adherence to the intervention. There was a significant reduction in mean total score on the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS-TS) (P<0.001; Cohen d=-0.72). One third of the participants (n=13) showed at least a 25% reduction on the Y-BOCS-TS, and 40% of the sample (n=14) were assigned to a lower Y-BOCS severity category after treatment. Significant changes were also found in depression (P<0.001; d=-0.80), worry (P<0.001; d=-0.79), alexithymia (P<0.01; d=-0.41), dissociation (P<0.05; d=-0.46), and general psychopathology (P<0.001; d=-0.58). Repeated measures linear mixed models showed that OCD symptom reduction was associated with an increase in mindfulness skills, in particular on the acting with awareness (P=0.006), nonjudging (P=0.001), and nonreactivity (P=0.001) facets. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these findings are promising and they suggest that randomized controlled studies be conducted to test the effectiveness of this new treatment program for this challenging and disabling mental disorder.