Success and failure in the behavioral treatment of obsessive-compulsives

Attempted to construct a model for predicting success and failure in the behavioral treatment (exposure and response prevention) of obsessive-compulsives ( N = 50, mean age 34 yrs). Three sets of variables--demographic, pretreatment level of neurotic symptomatology, and S's responses during exposure sessions--were examined. Seven variables were found to be related to outcome at posttreatment and/or at follow-up: Pretreatment level of depression and of anxiety, reactivity, and habituation of reported anxiety to feared stimuli within- and between-sessions were all found to affect outcome at posttreatment. Posttreatment outcome as well as age at symptom onset were significantly related to maintenance of gains. A model of the interrelationships of these variables was constructed and tested by a path analysis. (33 ref)