OBJECTIVE: To describe the cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder. METHOD: Through the revision of text books and articles the origins and fundamentals of cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder are presented. Through the review of randomized clinical trials and meta-analysis in Medline the evidences of effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in obsessive-compulsive disorder are highlighted. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The cognitive-behavioral therapy is effective in reducing symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder by approximately 70% of patients who adhere to treatment. The challenges ahead are to clarify the reasons why many patients do not respond to this kind of treatment and develop new strategies to increase its effectiveness.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder; Psychotherapy; Cognitive therapy; Behavior therapy; Behavior modification