Marital Adjustment and Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder

Abstract

Fifty obsessive-compulsives were treated by behavioural therapy (self-exposure in vivo and response prevention) either with their partner directly involved in all aspects of treatment or without their partner. The two treatment formats were equally effective. Although a substantial number of obsessive-compulsives were found to have marital problems, behavioural treatment directed at the obsessive-compulsive disorder resulted in improvement irrespective of marital quality and partner involvement in the therapy. The effects of treatment led neither to a deterioration of the marriage nor to adjustment problems in the partner.