A pilot study on treatment response and neural improvement of group Natural Psychotherapy for patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: a new Eastern culture-based psychotherapy method

Objective Contemporary psychotherapies for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are effective, but still have some limitations. Natural Psychotherapy (NPT), a novel approach integrating Japanese Morita therapy and traditional Chinese culture, may be a promising treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder.Methods A single-arm pilot study enrolled 40 eligible OCD outpatients who received 8-week group NPT therapy (8 group sessions + daily homework). Primary outcomes were measured via the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) at baseline (week 0), week 4, week 8 (end of treatment), and week 12 (follow-up). MRI scans were conducted at week 0 and 8.Results YBOCS scores significantly decreased after treatment and remained stable at follow-up. Treatment response rates were 60% (week 8) and 57.5% (week 12), with a 2.5% dropout rate and no severe adverse reactions. Resting-state functional connectivity within the core subsystem of the default mode network improved, correlating negatively with reduced obsessive symptoms.Conclusion Group NPT shows feasibility and a promising treatment response in OCD. However, a further large-scale randomised controlled trial is needed to confirm efficacy completely.