Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - read online

Sep 26, 2026

Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) outlining clinical recommendations and the development process. Approved October 2006 and published July 2007, it presents an executive summary, coding system, and structured guidance for psychiatric management, initial treatment modality selection, pharmacological options, and psychotherapy forms. The document emphasizes therapeutic alliance, symptom assessment, use of rating scales, safety evaluation, treatment goals, adherence, implementation steps, and discontinuation of active treatment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages96

Reading Time4 h 2 min

AccessFree to download

Statement of Intent

Guide to Using This Practice Guideline

Development Process

Part A: Treatment Recommendations

I. Executive Summary

II. Formulation and Implementation of a Treatment Plan

PRACTICE GUIDELINE FOR THE Treatment of Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder WORK GROUP ON OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER Lorrin M. Koran, M.D., Chair Gregory L. Hanna, M.D. Eric Hollander, M.D. Gerald Nestadt, M.D. Helen Blair Simpson, M.D., Ph.D. This practice guideline was approved in October 2006 and published in July 2007. A guideline watch, summarizing significant developments in the scientific literature since publication of this guideline, may be available in the Psychiatric Practice section of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Web site at [www.psych.org](www.psych.org). Dr. Koran has received research grants from Forest Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Ortho-McNeil, Somaxon, and Jazz Pharmaceuticals. He has received honoraria from the Forest Pharmaceuticals Speakers Bureau and the Pfizer Speakers Bureau. He has received consultant fees from Cypress Bioscience. Dr. Hanna reports no competing interests. Dr. Hollander has received research grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Office of Orphan Products Development of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Wyeth, Eli Lilly, Janssen, and Abbott. He has served on advisory boards for Forest Pharmaceuticals, Abbott, and Somaxon. Dr. Nestadt reports no competing interests. Dr. Simpson reports no competing interests. The Executive Committee on Practice Guidelines has reviewed this guideline and found no evidence of influence from these relationships. Suggested citation: American Psychiatric Association . Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association, 2007. Available online at [http//www.psych.org/psych_pract/treatg/pg/](http//www.psych.org/psych_pract/treatg/pg/)[ ](http//www.psych.org/psych_pract/treatg/pg/)[prac_ guide.cfm.](prac_ guide.cfm.) AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION STEERING COMMITTEE ON PRACTICE GUIDELINES John S. McIntyre, M.D., Chair Sara C. Charles, M.D., Vice-Chair Daniel J. Anzia, M.D. Ian A. Cook, M.D. Molly T. Finnerty, M.D. Bradley R. Johnson, M.D. James E. Nininger, M.D. Paul Summergrad, M.D. Sherwyn M. Woods, M.D., Ph.D. Joel Yager, M.D. AREA AND COMPONENT LIAISONS Joseph Berger, M.D. (Area I) C. Deborah Cross, M.D. (Area II) Harry A. Brandt, M.D. (Area III) Philip M. Margolis, M.D. (Area IV) John P. D. Shemo, M.D. (Area V) Barton J. Blinder, M.D. (Area VI) David L. Duncan, M.D. (Area VII) Mary Ann Barnovitz, M.D. Sheila Hafter Gray, M.D. Sunil Saxena, M.D. Tina Tonnu, M.D. STAFF Robert Kunkle, M.A., Senior Program Manager Amy B. Albert, B.A., Project Manager Thomas J. Craig, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Department of Quality Improvement and Psychiatric Services Darrel A. Regier, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Division of Research MEDICAL EDITOR Laura J. Fochtmann, M.D. CONTENTS STATEMENT OF INTENT .................................................................... 7 GUIDE TO USING THIS PRACTICE GUIDELINE ...................................................... 7 DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ................................................................... 8 PART A: TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................... 9 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................... 9 A. Coding System ................................................................ 9 B. Executive Summary ............................................................ 9 1. Psychiatric Management .............................................................. 9 a. Establishing a Therapeutic Alliance .................................................. 9 b. Assessing the Patient’s Symptoms .................................................. 9 c. Using Rating Scales .......................................................

FAQs

When was this OCD practice guideline approved and published?

It was approved in October 2006 and published in July 2007.

What topics are included in the executive summary section?

The executive summary covers a coding system and key elements of psychiatric management, including establishing a therapeutic alliance, assessing symptoms, using rating scales, improving safety, completing assessment, setting treatment goals, choosing the treatment setting, enhancing adherence, selecting initial treatment modality, pharmacological treatment, and psychotherapy forms.

What does the guideline focus on for implementing a treatment plan?

It provides steps for implementing the plan, including implementing pharmacotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapies, and adjusting treatments through sequential treatment trials, as well as guidance on discontinuing active treatment.

Sep 26, 2026

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