Comparing the Effectiveness of Exposure and Response Prevention and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Intolerance of Uncertainty and Thought Control Strategies in Individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Parisa Ahmadi Azar, Mahboobeh Taher, Saqqa Afrakhteh, Faezeh Jahan
Rooyesh Psychological Journal July 1, 2026 DOI: 10.66224/rooyesh.15.4.171 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental pretest-posttest controlled study with 2-month follow-up Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 45 |
| Population | Individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder seeking services at Dana and Pendar counseling and psychotherapy centers in Tehran in 2023 |
| Interventions | Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) |
| Duration | Pretest-posttest with 2-month follow-up |
| Measures | Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS-27), Thought Control Questionnaire (TCQ) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Both ERP and MBCT significantly improved intolerance of uncertainty and thought control strategies from pretest to posttest and follow-up, with effects maintained at 2 months and no significant posttest-to-follow-up differences. ERP was particularly effective for intolerance of uncertainty, whereas MBCT had a greater impact on thought control strategies. The authors propose the two interventions may be complementary for enhancing cognitive and emotional functioning in OCD. |
Abstract
This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on intolerance of uncertainty and thought control strategies in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest and a control group, including a 2-month follow-up, was employed. The study population consisted of individuals with OCD seeking services at Dana and Pendar counseling and psychotherapy centers in Tehran in 2023. A total of 45 participants were purposively selected and randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group (15 participants per group). Measures included the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS; Goodman et al., 1989), the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS-27; Freeston et al., 1994), and the Thought Control Questionnaire (TCQ; Wells & Davies, 1994). Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Results indicated significant differences between pretest and posttest/follow-up for intolerance of uncertainty and thought control strategies (p < .05), while no significant differences were observed between posttest and follow-up. ERP was particularly effective in reducing intolerance of uncertainty, whereas MBCT had a greater impact on improving thought control strategies, with both interventions demonstrating lasting effects. These findings suggest that ERP and MBCT can serve as complementary interventions to enhance cognitive and emotional functioning in individuals with OCD.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |