"Association Splitting" in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Interventions: Behavioral: "association splitting"; Behavioral: cognitive remediation

• Registration Number: NCT01035242
• Lead Sponsor: Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf

Brief Summary

Over a period of 3 weeks, association splitting is compared to cognitive remediation (CogPack training) as an add-on intervention to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Blind to treatment assignment, both groups are assessed before intervention and eight weeks as well as six months later with the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (OCI-R) and cognitive tests. OCD severity as measured by the Y-BOCS total score serves as the primary outcome parameter. It is assumed that association splitting will improve OCD severity to a greater extent than cognitive remediation.

Detailed Description

Association splitting is a new cognitive technique which aims at reducing obsessive thoughts. It draws upon the so-called "fan effect" of associative priming. Transposing this principle to the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), we hypothesized that the sprouting of new and the strengthening of existing neutral associations to core OCD cognitions will reduce their fear-evoking properties by depriving the chain of OCD-related cognitions of associative strength. Patients with OCD are randomly allocated to either associations splitting (AS) or cognitive remediation (CogPack training). Blind to treatment assignment, both groups are assessed before intervention and eight weeks as well as six months later with the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (OCI-R) and cognitive tests. OCD severity derived from the Y-BOCS and the OCI-R serves as the main outcome parameters. We also explore if AS changes the OCD-related semantic networks with cognitive tasks. It is assumed that association splitting will improve OCD severity to a greater extent than CogPack training.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2009-03
• Study First Submitted: 2009-12-17
• Study First Submitted QC: 2009-12-17
• Study First Posted: 2009-12-18
• Primary Completion: 2012-07
• Study Completion: 2012-07
• Status Verified: 2015-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-03-24
• Last Update Posted: 2015-03-25

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 156

Inclusion Criteria

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) with an Y-BOCS obsession subscore ≥ 8

Exclusion Criteria

• intellectual disability (IQ < 70); unable to provide informed consent; severe neurological illness, psychotic symptoms or substance dependence.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
"association splitting"	"association splitting"	Association splitting (6 sessions) delivered by psychologists.
cognitive remediation	cognitive remediation	CogPack training(6 sessions) delivered by either psychologists or psychology students at an advanced master level.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Total score of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)	8 weeks, 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Obsession subscore of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and the total score of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (OCI-R)	8 weeks, 6 months

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf; 🇩🇪 Hamburg, Germany