Is cognitive behavioral therapy an efficacious treatment for psychological interventions in body dysmorphic disorders? A meta-analysis based on current evidence from randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND

Clinical guidelines and some studies recommend cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) as the most effective treatment for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). However, owing to the lack of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the research evidence is insufficient. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of CBT in the treatment of BDD using RCTs. This meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023410577).

METHODS

After a literature search and screening, 11 RCTs with 667 patients were included. The ROB 2.0 tool, funnel plots, sensitivity analysis, and meta-regression analysis were used to assess the quality, publication bias, and sources of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

After CBT intervention, the severity of BDD (SMD = -1.73, 95 % CI (confidence interval) = [-2.90; -0.57]), depression symptoms (SMD = -1.72, 95 % CI = [-3.16; -0.28]), and anxiety levels were all reduced in the patients of the experimental group; the remission of BDD (OR = 7.37, 95 % CI = [2.17; 24.98]) and the response of BDD (OR = 8.86, 95 % CI = [4.85; 16.18]) were all increased; incorrect beliefs such as disability and BABS were also reduced; the quality of life was improved. The difference between the groups was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Meta-regression analysis showed that age and sample size were the predictive factors of the effectiveness of CBT.

LIMITATIONS: The heterogeneity of most meta-analyses was high (I2 > 75 %).

CONCLUSIONS

Although CBT is effective in treating BDD, there is insufficient evidence to suggest that it is the best psychological intervention for BDD. More high-quality evidence is still needed in the future.