OCD & Related Disorders
Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders (DSM-5-TR)
This topic groups OCD and related disorders, including body dysmorphic disorder, hoarding, trichotillomania and excoriation. Treatment recommendations differ by diagnosis; the completed assessment below concerns adults with OCD.
Sources for the corrected statements:
Prevalence: ~2.3% lifetime and ~1.2% past year for OCD (NIMH, from NCS-R)
Clinical Picture
For adults with OCD, NICE CG31 recommends CBT that includes exposure and response prevention (ERP), with treatment intensity matched to functional impairment, preferences and response. This page groups related diagnoses for browsing; the adult OCD assessment does not establish the same recommendation for every diagnosis listed here.
Sources for the corrected statements:
Treatment Considerations
NICE CG31 offers low-intensity CBT including ERP for adult OCD when impairment is mild and/or the person prefers a low-intensity approach. For mild impairment when this is unsuitable or inadequate, or for moderate impairment, it offers a choice between an SSRI and more intensive CBT including ERP. For severe impairment, it recommends an SSRI together with CBT including ERP. These recommendations do not establish a preferred treatment for every related disorder, child or adolescent. The guideline was published in 2005 and NICE lists an update in progress.
Sources for the corrected statements:
Approaches and Evidence
Of 6 associated approaches, 1 have completed assessments for this topic, 2 have source checks awaiting assessment, and 3 have neither recorded yet. Each completed assessment states its population and rationale; source checks alone do not establish effectiveness. These categories describe different findings and review stages; they are not a ranking of treatments.
Guideline recommendation (1)
These assessments record a guideline recommendation for the stated population. Read the scope and rationale; a broad topic label does not make a recommendation applicable to everyone.
Exposure and Response Prevention
Victor Meyer · 1966
Reviewed population: Adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder receiving CBT that includes exposure and response prevention. This is not an assessment for the full OCD-related-disorders category, including hoarding, trichotillomania or excoriation.
NICE CG31 (2005) recommendations 1.5.1.1–1.5.1.4 explicitly offer CBT including ERP for adult OCD, with intensity matched to impairment and treatment response. For moderate impairment it offers a choice between an SSRI and more intensive CBT including ERP; for severe impairment it recommends their combination. The source uses “offer” wording rather than a separately reported GRADE strength. This supports an ERP-within-CBT guideline assessment for adult OCD, not every related diagnosis, a universal monotherapy claim or the catalogue’s legacy effect-size and response estimates. NICE currently lists an update in progress; the 2005 recommendations remain published and the July 2024 changes were presentational.
Reviewed
Guidelines and official sources (2)
1 clinical guideline check · 1 evidence registry check
Read the recommendation and its scope. A source may discuss an approach without recommending it.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder and body dysmorphic disorder: treatment (CG31)
Recommendation for the stated population
NICE recommends CBT including ERP for OCD.
Scope: Adults with OCD; treatment intensity and combination depend on impairment
- Exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder
Discussed in the source
The Society record lists Strong under both 1998 and 2015 criteria. This remains an EST rating, separate from NICE clinical recommendations.
Scope: ERP for OCD
Source checks available — assessment pending (2)
Sources have been checked for this topic, but a condition-specific assessment has not been completed. Open the source notes to read each document’s population, recommendation and limitations.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Aaron Beck · 1964
Guidelines and official sources (1)
1 clinical guideline check
Read the recommendation and its scope. A source may discuss an approach without recommending it.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder and body dysmorphic disorder: treatment (CG31)
Recommendation for the stated population
NICE recommends CBT including ERP, with intensity matched to impairment.
Scope: Adults with OCD; intensity and combined treatment depend on impairment
Morita Therapy
Shoma Morita · 1919
Guidelines and official sources (1)
1 professional reference check
Read the recommendation and its scope. A source may discuss an approach without recommending it.
- Psychotherapy: explanation from the psychotherapy committee
Discussed in the source
The society describes Morita therapy among approaches developed in Japan. This educational account does not establish a national standard-of-care recommendation.
Scope: Professional information on Morita therapy and its historical clinical uses.
Assessment not yet completed (3)
No completed assessment or source check for this topic is recorded yet.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Steven Hayes · 1999
Metacognitive Therapy
Adrian Wells · 2009
Unified Protocol
David Barlow · 2011
Cases Featuring Associated Approaches
These teaching cases share approach links with this topic. They may illustrate a different presenting concern.
Reading This Page
Why are these approaches listed with OCD & Related Disorders?
The catalogue associates 6 approaches and 0 frameworks with this topic. These links support learning and comparison; association alone is not a treatment recommendation or evidence of effectiveness.
How should I read the evidence assessments?
Assessments are specific to the population and scope stated on each card. They include a rationale, source links, and a review date. An overall review of an approach does not automatically apply to this condition, and a randomized-study label does not by itself mean that a study found benefit.
What does "Assessment not yet completed" mean?
A condition-specific assessment has not been recorded. Approaches with checked sources appear in a separate assessment-pending group; a checked source can support, oppose, or discuss an intervention without recommending it. Neither pending group means that no research exists or that the approach is ineffective. Frameworks are shown separately.
Sources and Review Scope
Source links and dates on assessment cards apply to the stated population and rationale. The clinical overview and prevalence text above are separate authored content; an approach's evidence label does not verify those statements. Recorded narrative notes and citations remain available on individual modality pages, with their review status identified. The bibliography provides further reading.