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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and SymptomsCOASTNCT02635178

Brief Anxiety Sensitivity Treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms

A study testing Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity Treatment and Physical Health Education Training in people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Symptoms, run by Florida State University.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), characterized by recurrent obsessions and/or compulsions, is a disabling psychiatric condition affecting approximately 2-3% of the population. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
What is being tested?
Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity Treatment and Physical Health Education Training
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
72 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
Aug 2014to Apr 2017
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Participants must be 18 years of age or older
  • Elevated levels of obsessive-compulsive symptoms as indicated by scoring one standard deviation above the non-clinical mean on any Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale dimension
  • Elevated anxiety sensitivity cognitive concerns as indicated by scoring one standard deviation above the non-clinical mean

Who cannot join

  • Evidence of a significant medical illness that would prevent the completion of interoceptive exposure (IE) exercises
  • Non-English speakers
  • Individuals currently receiving cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety and/or mood disorders or who are not stable on psychotropic medications (i.e., new medication or changes in dosage within the last three months)

About this study

Official title: Randomized Control Trial Examining a Brief Anxiety Sensitivity Cognitive Concerns Intervention for Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), characterized by recurrent obsessions and/or compulsions, is a disabling psychiatric condition affecting approximately 2-3% of the population. Whereas several first-line treatments have been established (e.g., pharmacological and psychological), a substantial proportion of patients (40-60%) fail to experience symptom remission, underscoring the need for research in this area. One approach to increasing treatment efficacy is to target underlying risk factors or dysfunctions that may in turn improve outcomes. One such risk factor is anxiety sensitivity (AS) cognitive concerns. AS cognitive concerns reflects fears of mental incapacitation (e.g., "It scares me when I am unable to keep my mind on a task"). There is recent evidence that AS cognitive concerns is uniquely associated with various obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptom domains. However, questions remain as to whether reductions in AS cognitive concerns will lead to subsequent reductions in OC symptoms. The purpose of the proposed study is to investigate the efficacy of a brief AS cognitive concerns intervention on reductions in OC symptoms.

Being tested
Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity Treatment, Physical Health Education Training
Keywords
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, OCD, Anxiety sensitivity, Cognitive Concerns
Medical subject headings
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity TreatmentBehavioural

    Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity Treatment (CAST) is a computerized treatment designed to model the educational and behavioral techniques used in anxiety treatments. The psychoeducational component focuses on the nature of stress and its effects on the mind and body. CAST was designed to dispel myths concerning the immediate dangers of stress on cognitive processes. Individuals are taught that psychological arousal from stress is not dangerous and that they may have developed a conditioned fear to these sensations, as indicated by their elevated levels of AS cognitive concerns. In addition to psychoeducation, interoceptive exposure exercises will be introduced to correct the conditioned fear response. The program will demonstrate exercises that elicit sensations consistent with AS cognitive concerns.

  • Physical Health Education TrainingBehavioural

    The Physical Health Education Training (PHET) control condition was designed to control for the effects of general education provided in the CAST condition. Participants will be presented with information regarding the importance and benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The program will discuss diet, alcohol and water consumption, exercise, sexual health, and sleep. PHET will instruct the participant how to monitor their daily health habits in order to achieve a healthy lifestyle. PHET will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. Based on the findings of Schmidt and colleagues (in press), this intervention does not appear to exert a strong effect on AS.

Study groups in NCT02635178
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
ActiveExperimentalCognitive Anxiety Sensitivity Treatment (CAST) is a computerized treatment designed to model the educational and behavioral techniques used in anxiety treatments. The psychoeducational component focuses on the nature of stress and its effects on the mind and body. CAST was designed to dispel myths concerning the immediate dangers of stress on cognitive processes. Individuals are taught that psychological arousal from stress is not dangerous and that they may have developed a conditioned fear to these sensations, as indicated by their elevated levels of AS cognitive concerns. In addition to psychoeducation, interoceptive exposure exercises will be introduced to correct the conditioned fear response. The program will demonstrate exercises that elicit sensations consistent with AS cognitive concerns.
Receives: Behavioral: Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity Treatment
ControlPlacebo comparatorThe Physical Health Education Training (PHET) control condition was designed to control for the effects of general education provided in the CAST condition. Participants will be presented with information regarding the importance and benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The program will discuss diet, alcohol and water consumption, exercise, sexual health, and sleep. PHET will instruct the participant how to monitor their daily health habits in order to achieve a healthy lifestyle. PHET will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. Based on the findings of Schmidt and colleagues (in press), this intervention does not appear to exert a strong effect on AS.
Receives: Behavioral: Physical Health Education Training

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3)

    The ASI-3 is an 18-item self-report measure of AS. This scale was developed to provide a more stable measure of the three most widely recognized AS subfactors (cognitive, social and physical concerns) than the original ASI provides. The measure has shown good psychometric properties (Taylor et al., 2007).

    Measured: Month 1 Follow-Up

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Dimensional Obsessive Compulsive Scale (DOCS)

    The DOCS is a 20-item measure that assesses the four dimensions of OC symptoms most reliably replicated in previous structural research. This measure includes four subscales: contamination, responsibility, unacceptable thoughts, and symmetry. The DOCS demonstrates excellent psychometric properties and has been validated in both clinical and non-clinical samples (Abramowitz et al., 2010).

    Measured: Month 1 Follow-Up

  2. Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS)

    The SDS is a 3-item self-report measure designed to assess functional impairment in work/school, social, and family life. The measure has shown good psychometric properties (Sheehan et al., 1996).

    Measured: Month 1 Follow-Up

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted18 Dec 2015 (estimated)
  2. Study startAug 2014
  3. Primary completionApr 2017
  4. Study completionApr 2017

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Participant
Enrolment
72 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02635178
Sponsor's protocol ID
Raines02
Acronym
COAST
Status last verified
Mar 2021
First submitted
16 Dec 2015
Last updated
5 Mar 2021
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: Members of the scientific community can request a copy of the data by contacting the PI, Amanda Raines. They should state their reason for request and plans for analyzing. A limit dataset would be created, encrypted, and sent.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity Treatment and Physical Health Education Training in people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Symptoms, run by Florida State University.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Mar 2021. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3) (time frame: Month 1 Follow-Up). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Mar 2021.

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