Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Comparison of CBT and the Metacognitive Approach

摘要

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) remains a difficult disorder to treat, with both psychological and pharmacological approaches producing sub-optimal outcomes. Improvements in treatment efficacy could result from a better understanding of the psychological mechanisms involved in both the development and maintenance of OCD. This article reviews the nature, efficacy, and research directions of the current gold standard psychological treatments for OCD. It is proposed that a metacognitive conceptualization of OCD offers a distinct theoretical account of the disorder and that the treatment derived from the model could enhance overall treatment efficacy Accordingly; the metacognitive model of OCD (Wells, 1997) is presented, with supporting empirical evidence and contrasted with contemporary cognitive theories. This is followed by highlighting the distinctive nature of metacognitive therapy; using CBT as a comparison. Preliminary evidence supporting the potential efficacy of metacognitive therapy is provided.