Co-occurring PTSD in intensive OCD treatment: Impact on treatment trajectory vs. response.

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with more severe and chronic OCD. However, findings regarding treatment effectiveness of cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) with exposure and response prevention (ERP) with this comorbidity are mixed. Research aimed at understanding the precise barriers to OCD treatment effectiveness for individuals with co-occurring PTSD may help elucidate unique treatment needs.
Methods: The current study used linear regression and latent growth curve analysis comparing treatment response and trajectory from patients with OCD (n = 3083, 94.2 %) and OCD + PTSD (n = 191, 5.2 %) who received CBT with ERP in two major intensive OCD treatment programs.
Results: Although patients with OCD + PTSD evidenced similar trajectories of overall severity change, patients at one site required nearly 11 additional treatment days to achieve comparable reduction in OCD severity. Further, at the dimensional level, those with OCD + PTSD had poorer treatment response for unacceptable thoughts and symmetry symptoms. The moderate effect for unacceptable thoughts, indicating the widest gap in treatment response, suggests these symptoms may be particularly relevant to PTSD.
Limitations: Findings are limited by a naturalistic treatment sample with variation in treatment provision.
Conclusions: Findings emphasize caution in using a one-size-fits-all approach for patients with co-occurring OCD + PTSD within intensive OCD treatment programs, as broadly defined outcomes (e.g., reduction in overall severity) may not translate to reduction in the nuanced symptom dimensions likely to intersect with trauma. Unacceptable thoughts and symmetry symptoms, when co-occurring with PTSD, may require a trauma-focused treatment approach within intensive OCD treatment.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Dr. Pinciotti reports receiving fees to be a consultant and workshop presenter with Jenna Overbaugh, LLC and The Knowledge Tree. Dr. Storch reports receiving research funding to his institution from the Ream Foundation, International OCD Foundation, and NIH. He was formerly a consultant for Brainsway and Biohaven Pharmaceuticals in the past 12 months. He owns stock less than $5000 in NView and receives royalties for distribution of the YBOCS scales. He receives book royalties from Elsevier, Wiley, Oxford, American Psychological Association, Guildford, Springer, Routledge, and Jessica Kingsley. Dr. Goodman receives research funding from NIH, Biohaven, and the McNair Foundation and consulting fees from Biohaven. He receives royalties for distribution of the YBOCS scales. Dr. Cervin receives research support from the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, the Lindhaga Foundation, Stiftelsen Clas Grochinskys Minnesfond, the Crown Princess Lovisa's Association, Region Skåne, Fonden för Psykisk Hälsa, and Skåne University Hospital's Foundations and Donations; and financial compensation from Springer for editorial work outside of the submitted work.
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