Mindfulness as Adjuvant Treatment for Obsessive‐Compulsive Disorder: An Integrative Review

An integrative review of 11 studies found that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) shows promise as a complementary treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder, particularly in improving self-awareness of symptoms when compared to traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy. However, the authors note that studies with longer exposure times and more specific variables are needed to verify the long-term efficacy of MBCT, especially in more severe and older patients.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Obsessive‐compulsive disorder is characterized by the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions. Standard treatment, although effective in improving symptoms, in more severe cases may not be sufficient. The objective of this study was to identify in the literature data on the effectiveness of Mindfulness as a complementary treatment in reducing symptoms in patients with obsessive‐compulsive disorder. This integrative review was performed in Medline, Lilacs, Embase, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases. A total of 135 results were found, of which only 11 articles were used after applying the duplicate exclusion and eligibility criteria. Thus, we identified that mindfulness­ ‐based cognitive therapy (MBCT) when compared to more traditional treatments, such as cognitive‐behavioral therapy, showed promise, especially in improving self‐awareness regarding the symptoms of the disorder. However, studies with longer exposure time and with more specific variables need to be designed to verify the long­term efficacy of MBCT, especially in more severe and older patients.