[Third Wave Therapies of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Reasonable Add-on Therapy for CBT? State of the Art]

Abstract

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure is the state of the art and most efficient treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder and recommended as treatment of 1st choice according to guidelines. Therapies of the third wave, such as mindfulness based approaches (ACT, MBCT), metacognitive therapy, CBASP or schema therapy, have become more popular over past few years. A small number of studies that investigated some of these therapies show promising results. However, due to the small number of available studies, small sample sizes and methodologic limitations (only a few available RCTs) the evidence of these therapies is insufficient. Above all no study compared these alternative therapies with the well-proven CBT and exposure. Therefore, therapies of the third wave should only be used as add-on therapies to CBT and exposure if individually needed in the treatment of OCD. Future research is absolutely needed.