Cognitive Checking Intervention for Maladaptive Beliefs About Memory

Not Applicable

Terminated

Interventions: Other: Treatment as Usual
Behavioral: CBT for Maladaptive Beliefs about Memory

Brief Summary: A small (N = 24) pilot study developed a new and brief cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) module for checking symptoms (CBT-C) in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). CBT-C targets maladaptive beliefs about memory and results show that it is effective at significantly decreasing checking symptoms as compared to a waitlist control. The objectives of the current investigation are to further investigate CBT-C by (1) replicating the pilot results in a larger sample; (2) using an active control condition (treatment as usual) as the comparison condition (3) including a 6-month follow-up, and (4) determining whether the association between maladaptive beliefs about memory at pre-treatment assessment are related to degree of checking symptom reduction following CBT-C. The findings of the study will have theoretical significance in adding to our understanding of the maladaptive belief domains relevant to the development and maintenance of OCD and supporting the cognitive model of compulsive checking. The relevant clinical significance is the further development of an intervention that could improve outcomes in treatment of persons with OCD. The key practical outcome of the research would be to add a stepped care offering to patients with OCD.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

Adult over the age of 18 living in the province of Manitoba, Canada.
Diagnosis of OCD with clinically significant levels of compulsive checking (i.e., able to meet the diagnostic criteria for OCD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition based solely on checking symptoms. Other OCD symptoms may be present and checking does not need to be the primary symptom.)

Exclusion Criteria

Active psychosis
Active Mania
Presence of a substance use disorder that would interfere with participation in the treatment

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Treatment as Usual	Treatment as Usual	This is a control treatment, Treatment as Usual (TAU), which is what patients or community members would otherwise normally receive.
CBT for Maladaptive Beliefs about Memory	CBT for Maladaptive Beliefs about Memory	Using cognitive-behavioural therapy principles, this therapy is intended to examine and change maladaptive beliefs about memory as they pertain to compulsive checking.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Vancouver Obsessional Compulsive Inventory - checking subscale	Avarege time spent checking at 6-month follow-up	This six-item subscale of a self-report questionnaire measure assesses severity of checking-related OCD symptoms.
Vancouver Obsessional Compulsive Inventory - checking subscale (change)	Change in checking symptoms from pre-treatment to post-treatment at 3 weeks later	This six-item subscale of a self-report questionnaire measure assesses severity of checking-related OCD symptoms.
Average time spent checking per week (change)	Change in average time spent checking from pre-treatment to post-treatment at 3 weeks later	Participants record their daily time spent checking in daily diary records while in the active phase of the study.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Beliefs about Memory Inventory (change)	Change in beliefs about memory from pre-treatment to post-treatment at 3 weeks later	Self-report questionnaire that assesses extent participant believes they have a bad memory.
Beliefs about Memory Inventory	Beliefs about memory at 6 month follow-up	Self-report questionnaire that assesses extent participant believes they have a bad memory.
Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire (change)	Change in obsessive beliefs from pre-treatment to post-treatment at 3 weeks later	Self-report questionnaire that assesses maladaptive belief domains known to be related to checking. The responsibility/threat subscale is of particular interest as it is known to be related to checking behaviour.
Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire	Obsessive beliefs at 6-month follow-up	Self-report questionnaire that assesses maladaptive belief domains known to be related to checking. The responsibility/threat subscale is of particular interest as it is known to be related to checking behaviour.