Abstract
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a prevalent form of psychopathology in the elderly, yet limited evaluation of the disorder in this age group has occurred. We review the literature and describe a case of OCD effectively treated in an 80-year-old man. Case study reports suggest that elderly persons are responsive to selective serotonin uptake inhibitors, although medication selection and dosage may need to be adjusted as a result of the medical conditions sometimes present in the elderly. Elderly persons appear able to benefit from exposure and response prevention, although behavioral intervention has not been frequently used. We describe here the first case report where exposure and response prevention procedures were successfully used and this intervention was not confounded with psychopharmacologic treatment.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 95-104 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 1994 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Clinical Psychology
- Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)