Hoarding DisorderBITSNCT02843308
Enhancing Treatment of Hoarding Disorder With Personalized In-Home Sorting and Decluttering Practice
A study testing Facilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeks in people with Hoarding Disorder and Hoarding, run by Stanford University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The proposed study aims to investigate the efficacy of adding in-home decluttering practice to Buried in Treasures Workshop (BIT) facilitated group treatment for hoarding disorder. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Hoarding Disorder, Hoarding, Clutter
- What is being tested?
- Facilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeks
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 41 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2016to 2 Apr 2020
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
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 70 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 18 to 70 years
- Either gender and all ethno-racial groups
- Physically healthy male or non-pregnant female.
- Hoarding Disorder primary condition
- Willing and able to understand and complete consent and study procedures
- English speaking
Who cannot join
- Current or past history of bipolar, psychotic or eating disorders, substance dependence, or substance abuse in the last year.
- Clinically at risk of suicide with Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Suicidal Ideation Subscale of 4 or higher (i.e. suicidal intent without specific plan)
- Major medical or neurological conditions that increase the risk of participation or that would prevent completing assigned behavioral practice tasks.
- Unable or unwilling to allow study staff into home for home assessment
- Currently at high risk for eviction
- Animal hoarding or squalor
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Building Community-Academic Partnerships for the Evidence-Based Treatment of Hoarding Disorder
The proposed study aims to investigate the efficacy of adding in-home decluttering practice to Buried in Treasures Workshop (BIT) facilitated group treatment for hoarding disorder.
Read the detailed description
Patients participate in Buried in Treasures Workshop (BIT) that has been shown to improve symptoms of hoarding disorder. The investigators hypothesize that adding in-home decluttering practice to the BIT workshop will decrease hoarding symptoms and level of clutter over time.
- Conditions
- Hoarding Disorder, Hoarding, Clutter
- Being tested
- Facilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeks
- Keywords
- hoarding disorder, hoarding, clutter
- Medical subject headings
- Hoarding Disorder, Hoarding, Speech Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Facilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeksBehavioural
Facilitated group therapy for hoarding disorder with behavioral practice
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate Treatment | Experimental | Facilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeks Receives: Behavioral: Facilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeks |
| Delayed Treatment | Experimental | Facilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeks (after a 18-20 week delay) Receives: Behavioral: Facilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeks |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number of Patients Who Met and Exceeded Response Criteria of the Saving Inventory-Revised (SI-R)
The SI-R is a 23-item questionnaire with 3 sub-scales for difficulty discarding, excessive clutter, and compulsive acquisition.
The total score ranges from 0 to 92. The greater the score, the more severe the hoarding symptoms. Total score higher than 41 shows significant difficulty with clutter.
For the acquisition subscale, items 2 (reverse score), 9, 11, 14, 16, 18 and 21 are summed together. The subscale ranges from 0 to 28 and score greater than 13 indicates difficulty with excessive acquisition.
For the difficulty discarding subscale, items 4(reverse score), 6, 7, 13, 17, 19, 23 are summed together. The subscale ranges from 0 to 28 and score greater than 13 indicates difficulty with discarding.
For the clutter subscale, items 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 22 are summed together. The subscale ranges from 0 to 36 and score greater than 15 indicates difficulty with accumulated clutter.
Response was defined as at least a 14 point change (pre-post) in the total score.
Measured: Change from baseline (pre-treatment) to week 18 (post-treatment) the Immediate Treatment Arm/Group and change from baseline (pre-treatment at 18 weeks) to 36 weeks (post-treatment) for the Delayed Treatment Arm/Group
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Jul 2016 (estimated)
- Study start1 Sep 2016
- Primary completion30 Jun 2019
- Study completion2 Apr 2020
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Hoarding DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Stanford UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 41 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Stanford University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Carolyn Rodriguez, Stanford University
- Investigators
- Carolyn Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D., Principal investigator, Stanford University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02843308
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 36788
- Other IDs
- K23MH092434
- Acronym
- BITS
- Status last verified
- Nov 2025
- First submitted
- 20 Jul 2016
- Last updated
- 21 Nov 2025
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Wheaton MG, Varias AD, Sandhu T, Munoz Rodriguez PA, Mukunda P, Filippou-Frye M, Millen A, Lombardi A, van Roessel P, Raila H, Anderson K, Linkovski O, Mahnke A, Sanchez C, McCarthy E, Wright B, Mibenge C, Rico Y, Righi S, Halsey C, Torio L, Asgari S, Qiu T, Garcia G, Jo B, Belofsky B, Shuer LJ, Frost RO, Rodriguez CI. Randomized waitlist-controlled trial of buried in treasures facilitated support groups and in-home uncluttering (BIT+) for hoarding disorder. J Psychiatr Res. 2024 Aug;176:58-67. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.05.055. Epub 2024 May 30.
PubMed 38843580
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Nov 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Building Community-Academic Partnerships for the Evidence-Based Treatment of Hoarding Disorder
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02843308
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- BITS / 36788
- Conditions
- Hoarding Disorder, Hoarding, Clutter
- Keywords
- hoarding disorder, hoarding, clutter
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 41 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Stanford UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2016 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2019 (actual)
- Study completion
- 2 Apr 2020 (actual)
- First posted
- 25 Jul 2016 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 21 Nov 2025
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The proposed study aims to investigate the efficacy of adding in-home decluttering practice to Buried in Treasures Workshop (BIT) facilitated group treatment for hoarding disorder.
Detailed description
Patients participate in Buried in Treasures Workshop (BIT) that has been shown to improve symptoms of hoarding disorder. The investigators hypothesize that adding in-home decluttering practice to the BIT workshop will decrease hoarding symptoms and level of clutter over time.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate Treatment | Experimental | Behavioral: Facilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeksFacilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeks |
| Delayed Treatment | Experimental | Behavioral: Facilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeksFacilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeks (after a 18-20 week delay) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Age 18 to 70 years
- Either gender and all ethno-racial groups
- Physically healthy male or non-pregnant female.
- Hoarding Disorder primary condition
- Willing and able to understand and complete consent and study procedures
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Current or past history of bipolar, psychotic or eating disorders, substance dependence, or substance abuse in the last year.
- Clinically at risk of suicide with Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Suicidal Ideation Subscale of 4 or higher (i.e. suicidal intent without specific plan)
- Major medical or neurological conditions that increase the risk of participation or that would prevent completing assigned behavioral practice tasks.
- Unable or unwilling to allow study staff into home for home assessment
- Currently at high risk for eviction
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Facilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeksFacilitated group therapy for hoarding disorder with behavioral practice | Behavioural | Delayed Treatment, Immediate Treatment |
Primary outcome
Number of Patients Who Met and Exceeded Response Criteria of the Saving Inventory-Revised (SI-R)
Time frame: Change from baseline (pre-treatment) to week 18 (post-treatment) the Immediate Treatment Arm/Group and change from baseline (pre-treatment at 18 weeks) to 36 weeks (post-treatment) for the Delayed Treatment Arm/Group
The SI-R is a 23-item questionnaire with 3 sub-scales for difficulty discarding, excessive clutter, and compulsive acquisition. The total score ranges from 0 to 92. The greater the score, the more severe the hoarding symptoms. Total score higher than 41 shows significant difficulty with clutter. For the acquisition subscale, items 2 (reverse score), 9, 11, 14, 16, 18 and 21 are summed together. The subscale ranges from 0 to 28 and score greater than 13 indicates difficulty with excessive acquisition. For the difficulty discarding subscale, items 4(reverse score), 6, 7, 13, 17, 19, 23 are summed together. The subscale ranges from 0 to 28 and score greater than 13 indicates difficulty with discarding. For the clutter subscale, items 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 22 are summed together. The subscale ranges from 0 to 36 and score greater than 15 indicates difficulty with accumulated clutter. Response was defined as at least a 14 point change (pre-post) in the total score.
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 21 Nov 2025.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Background: PubMed 38843580Wheaton MG, Varias AD, Sandhu T, Munoz Rodriguez PA, Mukunda P, Filippou-Frye M, Millen A, Lombardi A, van Roessel P, Raila H, Anderson K, Linkovski O, Mahnke A, Sanchez C, McCarthy E, Wright B, Mibenge C, Rico Y, Righi S, Halsey C, Torio L, Asgari S, Qiu T, Garcia G, Jo B, Belofsky B, Shuer LJ, Frost RO, Rodriguez CI. Randomized waitlist-controlled trial of buried in treasures facilitated support groups and in-home uncluttering (BIT+) for hoarding disorder. J Psychiatr Res. 2024 Aug;176:58-67. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.05.055. Epub 2024 May 30.
- Rodriguez Lab WebsiteLink provided by the sponsor.
- Dr. Carolyn Rodriguez Faculty PageLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Carolyn Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D. principal investigator
Stanford University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Facilitated group therapy with behavioral practice; 18 weeks in people with Hoarding Disorder and Hoarding, run by Stanford University at 1 site in United States.
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 6 inclusion and 6 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 21 Nov 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. 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?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 21 Nov 2025). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
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?
Number of Patients Who Met and Exceeded Response Criteria of the Saving Inventory-Revised (SI-R) (time frame: Change from baseline (pre-treatment) to week 18 (post-treatment) the Immediate Treatment Arm/Group and change from baseline (pre-treatment at 18 weeks) to 36 weeks (post-treatment) for the Delayed Treatment Arm/Group). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02843308, which also lists 1 linked publication.
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 21 Nov 2025.