ABSTRACT

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neurobehavioral condition that can be treated effectively. Cognitive behavioral therapy is an empirically supported treatment for pediatric OCD. This article includes cognitive behavioral therapy applied to an adolescent patient with obsessive compulsive disorder. The patient was a 15 year-old girl. She was followed up by psychiatric inpatient and outpatient services for approximately two years. Her complaints started with repetetive hand-washing due to fear of dirt and uncleanliness, which then progressed into food avoidance and development of subsequent compulsions leading to weight loss. A cognitive behavioral therapy was applied to her regularly. Psychoeducation, exposure and response prevention, cognitive restructuring tecniques were used.