Neurofeedback and Well-Being Among People With Co-Occurring Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms

NCT ID: NCT07217925

Last Updated: 2025-11-12

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 20 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-11-30
• Study Completion Date: 2029-01-31

Brief Summary

The proposed study will collect novel data evaluating the feasibility of a neurofeedback training program delivered to prospective clients with a history of clinically concerning trauma-related mental health symptoms who are on a wait list to receive obsessive compulsive disorder-specific psychotherapy at an outpatient mental health clinic. This study will evaluate the influence of neurofeedback training on participant's overall sense of well-being, and additionally, whether any enhanced well-being is subsequently associated with positive changes in symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress, dissociation and other trauma-related mental health symptoms, emotional regulation, etc.

Conditions

Well-Being, Psychological; Mood Disturbance; Emotional Regulation; Dissociation; Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Neurofeedback Training

Participants in the Neurofeedback Training group will complete per-training, post-training, and post-training follow-up self-report surveys assessing overall well-being, symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress, OCD, dissociation and other trauma-related mental health symptoms, emotional regulation, etc. Participants in this group will all be on a wait list to receive obsessive compulsive disorder-specific psychotherapy at a local outpatient therapy clinic that specializes in the treatment of anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders. All participants will demonstrate clinically significant post-traumatic stress symptoms and have a self-reported diagnosis of obsessive compulsive disorder.

Group Type: OTHER

Neuroptimal (Zengar, Inc.) Neurofeedback

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Participants in the Neurofeedback Training group will complete a total of 8 training sessions (1-2 sessions a week, each session lasting approximately 34 minutes) within a 3 month time span, using the Neuroptimal (Zengar, Inc.) neurofeedback device.

Interventions

Neuroptimal (Zengar, Inc.) Neurofeedback

Participants in the Neurofeedback Training group will complete a total of 8 training sessions (1-2 sessions a week, each session lasting approximately 34 minutes) within a 3 month time span, using the Neuroptimal (Zengar, Inc.) neurofeedback device.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. being a client placed on the clinic waitlist to receive exposure-response prevention for OCD symptoms at the Anxiety and OCD Treatment Center of Ann Arbor, in Ann Arbor, MI.

2. having self-reported symptoms of OCD;

3. having post-traumatic stress symptoms as indicated by a score of 3 or higher on the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) screening measure;

4. being age 18+.

5. being a citizen of the United States of America -

Exclusion Criteria

1. a lifetime history of significant untreated mental illness (not currently treated schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, or substance use disorder) or neurological or pervasive developmental disorder;

2. a documented history of epilepsy;

3. lifetime history of any head injury with loss of consciousness;

4. current exposure domestic or intimate partner violence or otherwise state that their current living conditions are unsafe;

5. current experiences of psychosis or suicidality within the last six months;

6. currently taking, or in the past month has taken benzodiazepines, narcotic drugs, or cannabis;

7. currently pregnant

8. engagement in self-harming behaviors in the last 3 months that required medical attention;

9. lack of competence to understand or consent to the study procedures;

10. lack of fluency in written and spoken English. -

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 90 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Wayne State University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Lisa S. Panisch, PhD, MSW

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Other Identifiers

IRB-25-07-7918

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id