Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T06:49:27.289Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Cognitive behavioural therapy for obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 July 2013

Frederike Schirmbeck*
Affiliation:
Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
Mathias Zink
Affiliation:
Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
*
*Author for correspondence: F. Schirmbeck, Dipl.Psych., Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, P.O. Box 12 21 20, D-68072 Mannheim, Germany. (email: frederike.schirmbeck@zi-mannheim.de).

Abstract

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) are a common phenomenon in patients with schizophrenia and are associated with additional clinical and functional impairments. So far treatment approaches have been limited to mainly pharmacological interventions with restricted effectiveness. Because cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is considered treatment of first choice for patients with primary obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), it seems compelling to consider it as a treatment option for comorbid OCS in schizophrenia. This research was conducted in order to investigate the theoretical and empirical basis for CBT in the treatment of comorbid OCS/OCD in schizophrenia. A comprehensive review and analysis of published literature was performed. Outcome measures from case-reports and a case-series showed favourable results with a significant reduction of symptom severity in 24/30 patients treated with CBT and exposure and response prevention (ERP) or ERP alone. CBT appears to offer a valuable opportunity to reduce symptom severity in this highly impaired group of patients. Based on these results and with a strong focus on tolerability concerns, suggestions for possible CBT approaches for the comorbid group are proposed. Further research within this field and systematic clinical evaluations are highly desirable.

Type
Review
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Recommended follow-up reading

Hwang, MY, Kim, SW, Yum, SY, Opler, LA (2009). Management of schizophrenia with obsessive compulsive features. Psychiatric Clinics of North America 32, 835851.Google Scholar
Schirmbeck, F, Zink, M (2012). Clozapine-induced obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizophrenia: a critical review. Current Neuropharmacology 10, 8895.Google Scholar

References

Abramowitz, JS, Franklin, ME, Foa, EB (2002). Empirical status of cognitive-behavioral therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: a meta-analytic review. Romanian Journal of Cognitive & Behavioral Psychotherapies 2, 89104.Google Scholar
Achim, AM, Maziade, M, Raymond, E, Olivier, D, Merette, C, Roy, MA (2011). How prevalent are anxiety disorders in schizophrenia? a meta-analysis and critical review on a significant association. Schizophrenia Bulletin 37, 811821.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Andrade, C (2013). Serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in clozapine-medicated schizophrenia. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 73, 13621364.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bauml, J, Frobose, T, Kraemer, S, Rentrop, M, Pitschel-Walz, G (2006). Psychoeducation: a basic psychotherapeutic intervention for patients with schizophrenia and their families. Schizophrenia Bulletin 32 (Suppl. 1), 19.Google Scholar
Buckley, PF, Miller, BJ, Lehrer, DS, Castle, DJ (2009). Psychiatric comorbidities and schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin 35, 383402.Google Scholar
Canas, F, Aydinoglu, U, Sinani, G (2012). Valproic acid augmentation in clozapine-associated hand-washing compulsion. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 66, 463464.Google Scholar
Cunill, R, Castells, X, Simeon, D (2009). Relationships between obsessive-compulsive symptomatology and severity of psychosis in schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 70, 7082.Google Scholar
de Haan, L, Dudek-Hodge, C, Verhoeven, Y, Denys, D (2009). Prevalence of psychotic disorders in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. CNS Spectrums 14, 415417.Google Scholar
de Haan, L, Hoogenboom, B, Beuk, N, van Amelsvoort, T, Linszen, D (2005). Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and positive, negative, and depressive symptoms in patients with recent-onset schizophrenic disorders. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 50, 519524.Google Scholar
de Haan, L, Sterk, B, van der Valk, R (2012 a). Presence of obsessive compulsive symptoms in first-episode schizophrenia or related disorders is associated with subjective well-being and quality of life. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. Published online: 2 July 2012. doi:10.1111/j.1751-7893.2012.00377.x.Google Scholar
de Haan, L, Sterk, B, Wouters, L, Linszen, DH (2012 b). The 5-year course of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and obsessive-compulsive disorder in first-episode schizophrenia and related disorders. Schizophrenia Bulletin 39, 151160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ekers, D, Carman, S, Schlich, T (2004). Successful outcome of exposure and response and prevention in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder in a patient with schizophrenia. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 32, 375378.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Faragian, S, Pashinian, A, Fuchs, C, Poyurovsky, M (2009). Obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions in schizophrenia patients with comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry 33, 10091012.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
First, MB, Spitzer, RL, Gibbon, M, Williams, J (2002). Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders, Research Version. New York: Biometrics Research.Google Scholar
Frueh, BC, Cusack, KJ, Grubaugh, AL, Sauvageot, JA, Wells, C (2006). Clinicians’ perspectives on cognitive-behavioral treatment for PTSD among persons with severe mental illness. Psychiatric Services 57, 10271031.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gaebel, W, Riesbeck, M, Wobrock, T (2011). Schizophrenia guidelines across the world: a selective review and comparison. International Review of Psychiatry 23, 379387.Google Scholar
Ganesan, V, Kumar, TCR, Khanna, S (2001). Obsessive-compulsive disorder and psychosis. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 46, 750754.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goodman, WK, Price, LH, Rasmussen, SA, Mazure, C (1989). The Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale: I. Development, use, and reliability. Archives of General Psychiatry 46, 10061011.Google Scholar
Grant, PM, Huh, GA, Perivoliotis, D, Stolar, NM, Beck, AT (2012). Randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive therapy for low-functioning patients with schizophrenia. Archives of General Psychiatry 69, 121127.Google Scholar
Hwang, MY, Kim, SW, Yum, SY, Opler, LA (2009). Management of schizophrenia with obsessive-compulsive features. Psychiatric Clinics of North America 32, 835851.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jaeger, M, Messer, T, Laux, G, Pfeiffer, H, Naber, D, Schmidt, LG, Gaebel, W, Klosterkötter, J, Heuse, I, Maier, W, Lemke, MR, Ruether, E, Buckkremer, G, Gastpar, M, Riedel, M, Bottlander, R, Strauss, A, Moeller, H-J (2008). Standardized remission criteria in schizophrenia: descriptive validity and comparability with previously used outcome measures. Pharmacopsychiatry 41, 190195.Google Scholar
Kim, SW, Shin, IS, Kim, JM, Yang, SJ, Hwang, MY, Yoon, JS (2008). Amisulpride improves obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizophrenia patients taking atypical antipsychotics: an open-label switch study. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology 28, 349352.Google Scholar
Kingdon, DG, Turkington, D (1994). Cognitive Therapy of Schizophrenia. New York: Guilford.Google Scholar
Kobori, O, Sato, H, Katsukura, R, Harada, S (2008). Cognitive behavioural therapy for obsessive compulsive symptoms affected by past psychotic experience of schizophrenia: a case report. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 36, 365369.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koran, LM, Hanna, GL, Hollander, E, Nestadt, G, Simpson, HB, American Psychiatric Association (2007). Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry 164 (7 Suppl.), 553.Google Scholar
Lehman, AF, Lieberman, JA, Dixon, LB, McGlashan, TH, Miller, AL, Perkins, DO, Kreyenbuhl, J, American Psychiatric Association, Steering Committee on Practice Guidelines (2004). Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia, second edition. American Journal of Psychiatry 161 (2 Suppl.), 156.Google Scholar
Lincoln, T (2006). Kognitive Verhaltenstherapie der Schizophrenie: Ein individuenzentrierter Ansatz zur Veraenderung von Wahn, Halluzinationen und Negativsymptomatik. Göttingen, Hogrefe.Google Scholar
Lysaker, PH, Whitney, KA (2009). Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizophrenia: prevalence, correlates and treatment. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics 9, 99107.Google Scholar
Lysaker, PH, Whitney, KA, Davis, LW (2006). Obsessive-compulsive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia: associations with coping preference and hope. Psychiatry Research 141, 253259.Google Scholar
MacCabe, JH, Marks, IM, Murray, RM (2002). Behavior therapy attenuates clozapine-induced obsessions and compulsions. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 63, 11791180.Google Scholar
Moritz, S, Peters, MJV, Laroi, F, Lincoln, TM (2010). Metacognitive beliefs in obsessive-compulsive patients: a comparison with healthy and schizophrenia participants. Cognitive Neuropsychiatry 15, 531548.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mukhopadhaya, K, Krishnaiah, R, Taye, T, Nigam, A, Bailey, AJ, Sivakumaran, T, Fineberg, NA (2009). Obsessive-compulsive disorder in UK clozapine-treated schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: a cause for clinical concern. Journal of Psychopharmacology 23, 613.Google Scholar
Pallanti, S, Hollander, E, Bienstock, C, Koran, L, Leckman, J, Marazziti, D, Pato, M, Stein, D, Zohar, J (2002). Treatment non-response in OCD: methodological issues and operational definitions. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology 5, 181191.Google Scholar
Peasley-Miklus, C, Massie, E, Baslett, G, Carmin, C (2005). Treating obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia: the case of Sam. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice 12, 379383.Google Scholar
Poyurovsky, M, Glick, I, Koran, LM (2010). Lamotrigine augmentation in schizophrenia and schizoaffective patients with obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Journal of Psychopharmacology 24, 861866.Google Scholar
Poyurovsky, M, Koran, LM (2005). Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with schizotypy vs. schizophrenia with OCD: diagnostic dilemmas and therapeutic implications. Journal of Psychiatric Research 39, 399408.Google Scholar
Rodriguez, CI, Corcoran, C, Simpson, HB (2010). Diagnosis and treatment of a patient with both psychotic and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. American Journal of Psychiatry 167, 754761.Google Scholar
Rosa-Alcazar, AI, Sanchez-Meca, J, Gomez-Conesa, A, Marin-Martinez, F (2008). Psychological treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: a meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review 28, 13101325.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rufer, M, Hand, I, Alsleben, H, Braatz, A, Ortmann, J, Katenkamp, B, Fricke, S, Peter, H (2005). Long-term course and outcome of obsessive-compulsive patients after cognitive-behavioral therapy in combination with either fluvoxamine or placebo. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience 255, 121128.Google Scholar
Rufer, M, Watzke, B (2006). Ambulante Verhaltenstherapie mit intensiver Exposition einer Patientin mit Zwangsstörung und früherer Psychose. In: Verhaltenstherapie bei Zwangsstörungen: Fallbasierte Therapiekonzepte (ed. Fricke, S., Rufer, M. and Hand, I.), pp. 147164. München: Elsevier.Google Scholar
Salkovskis, PM (2007). Psychological treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psychiatry 6, 229233.Google Scholar
Sarin, F, Wallin, L, Widerloev, B (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy for schizophrenia: a meta-analytical review of randomized controlled trials. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry 65, 162174.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schirmbeck, F, Rausch, F, Englisch, S, Eifler, S, Esslinger, C, Meyer-Lindenberg, A, Zink, M (2012 a). Stable cognitive deficits in schizophrenia patients with comorbid obsessive-compulsive symptoms: a 12-month longitudinal study. Published online: 27 October 2012. Schizophrenia Bulletin. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbs123.Google Scholar
Schirmbeck, F, Rausch, F, Englisch, S, Eifler, S, Esslinger, C, Meyer-Lindenberg, A, Zink, M (2012 b). Differential effects of antipsychotic agents on obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizophrenia: a longitudinal study. Journal of Psychopharmacology. Published online: 24 October 2012. doi:10.1177/0269881112463470.Google Scholar
Schirmbeck, F, Zink, M (2012 a). Clozapine-induced obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizophrenia: a critical review. Current Neuropharmacology 10, 8895.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schirmbeck, F, Zink, M (2012 b). Obsessive-compulsive syndromes in schizophrenia: a case for polypharmacy? In: Polypharmacy in Psychiatric Practice, 1st edn (ed. Ritsner, M.), pp. 233261. Dordrecht, Heidelberg, New York, London: Springer.Google Scholar
Stengel, E (1945). A study on some clinical aspects of the relationship between obsessional neurosis and psychotic reaction types. Journal of Mental Science 91, 166187.Google Scholar
Tundo, A, Salvati, L, Di Spigno, D, Cieri, L, Parena, A, Necci, R, Sciortino, S (2012). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder as a comorbidity with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 81, 5860.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Veale, D (2007). Cognitive-behavioural therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 13, 438446.Google Scholar
Westphal, K (1878). About obsessions. Archiv für Psychiatrie und Nervenkrankheiten 8, 734750.Google Scholar
Wykes, T, Steel, C, Everitt, B, Tarrier, N (2008). Cognitive behavior therapy for schizophrenia: effect sizes, clinical models, and methodological rigor. Schizophrenia Bulletin 34, 523537.Google Scholar
Zink, M, Englisch, S, Knopf, U, Kuwilsky, A, Dressing, H (2007). Augmentation of clozapine with valproic acid for clozapine-induced obsessive compulsive symptoms. Pharmacopsychiatry 40, 202203.Google Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.