Imaginal Exposure for Hoarding Disorder

Study Results

Results available

Outcome measurements, participant flow, baseline characteristics, and adverse events have been published for this study.

View full results

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

32 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2020-01-13

Study Completion Date

2021-01-27

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The present study will test a potential new treatment strategy, imaginal exposure, for hoarding disorder. Although cognitive behavioral therapy often reduces hoarding, some people do not want to start, or cannot handle, that option. To help such individuals, the present study will provide imaginal exposure therapy to people with hoarding disorder, wherein they imagine discarding possessions as a way of becoming acclimated to the idea. We predict that imaginal exposure will improve hoarding symptoms as well as two psychological experiences linked to the condition: intolerance of uncertainty and emotional avoidance.

Related Clinical Trials

Explore similar clinical trials based on study characteristics and research focus.

Enhancing Treatment of Hoarding Disorder With Personalized In-Home Sorting and Decluttering Practice

NCT02843308

Hoarding Disorder Hoarding Clutter

COMPLETED NA

Cognitive Rehabilitation and Exposure Therapy for Geriatric Hoarding

NCT05254015

Hoarding Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION NA

Hoarding Older Adults

NCT01227057

Compulsive Hoarding

COMPLETED NA

Group Treatment for Hoarding Disorder

NCT04270825

Hoarding Disorder

COMPLETED NA

Comparison of Treatment for Hoarding Disorder

NCT02040805

Hoarding Disorder

COMPLETED NA

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Hoarding disorder is a common mental illness characterized by difficulty parting with possessions and by clutter that makes living spaces unusable. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for hoarding disorder, but new approaches are needed to engage those who are reluctant to start or cannot tolerate CBT. Both intolerance of uncertainty and emotional avoidance are linked to hoarding disorder and may interfere with treatment engagement. Imaginal exposure, a therapeutic technique which involves repeatedly imagining feared scenarios and experiencing the evoked emotions, effectively targets both intolerance of uncertainty and emotional avoidance. The present study is the first to test whether imagining discarding possessions can improve hoarding symptoms more than does a control exercise. We hypothesize that compared to a control exercise, imaginal exposure will improve hoarding symptoms, intolerance of uncertainty and emotional avoidance.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Hoarding Disorder

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants

Participants will be randomly assigned to imaginal exposure writing intervention or neutral control writing.

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Imaginal Exposure Writing

People with hoarding disorder will write for 20 minutes on each of 3 consecutive days about their worst-case scenario regarding discarding a possession (i.e., imaginal exposure).

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Imaginal Exposure Writing

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Imaginal exposure is a psychotherapy strategy that has been studied and shown to be helpful in the improvement of symptoms (e.g., anxiety, worry) for other psychiatric conditions, including excessive worry and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms.

Neutral Writing

People with hoarding disorder will write for 20 minutes on each of 3 consecutive days about what they would do if they had a day off work or school.

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Neutral Writing

Intervention Type OTHER

Used in prior research as a control condition for imaginal exposure. Neutral writing will involve writing about what one would do on a day off work or school.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Imaginal Exposure Writing

Imaginal exposure is a psychotherapy strategy that has been studied and shown to be helpful in the improvement of symptoms (e.g., anxiety, worry) for other psychiatric conditions, including excessive worry and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Neutral Writing

Used in prior research as a control condition for imaginal exposure. Neutral writing will involve writing about what one would do on a day off work or school.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

1. Age 18 and older
2. Any gender and all ethno-racial categories
3. Hoarding Disorder primary condition
4. Willing and able to understand and complete consent and study procedures
5. English speaking

Exclusion Criteria

1. Severe depression
2. 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)
3. Currently receiving Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No