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Completed

NCT Number: NCT00073346

Pilot Trial of Cognitive and Behavioral Treatment of Compulsive Hoarding Compared to Wait List Control

This study developed and tested a specialized cognitive and behavioral treatment for the symptoms of hoarding disorder, including excessive acquiring, difficulty discarding items, and extensive clutter in the home.

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Key information

Conditions

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Anxiety Disorders Hoarding Disorder Mental Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1

Primary location

Hartford Hospital, Institute of Living, Hartford, Connecticut, United States

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About this study

Compulsive hoarding is characterized by excessive acquisition of possessions, difficulty discarding possessions, and excessive clutter. This condition is resistant to standard pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions that have proven effective in treating other obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a specialized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) designed for treating hoarding symptoms.

This study consists of three phases. In Phase 1, pilot data from previous studies were examined to develop an intervention suitable for use in a waitlist trial. In Phase 2, pilot study information were used to develop and test a treatment manual for compulsive hoarding. During this phase, treatment was applied flexibly to allow for variations in treatment duration and choice of techniques. During Phase 3, participants were randomly assigned to 26 weekly sessions of CBT or to a 12-week wait-list control, followed by active treatment for a fixed duration of 26 sessions. Therapist adherence and competence were assessed through audiotaped therapy sessions.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Display at least moderately severe hoarding symptoms
  • Must live within 45 minutes of Boston, MA or Hartford, CT

Exclusion criteria

  • Ten or more sessions of cognitive behavior therapy for hoarding
  • Concurrent psychotherapy or medications
  • Suicidal, psychotic, or other psychiatric symptoms requiring hospitalization
  • Compulsive buying symptoms that are part of a manic phase of bipolar disorder
  • Mental retardation, dementia, brain damage, or other cognitive dysfunction that would interfere with the study

Treatment and study plan

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment

Behavioral

Primary outcomes

  1. Saving Inventory-Revised

    Time frame: change from baseline to week 12; change from baseline to week 26

    Self-report questionnaire of hoarding severity; total score range = 0 to 92; higher values indicate more symptoms

Secondary outcomes

  1. Hoarding Rating Scale

    Time frame: change from baseline to week 12; change from baseline to week 26

    Interviewer measure with 5 questions to assess hoarding severity; total score range = 0 to 40; higher values indicate more symptoms

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Boston University Charles River Campus

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Registry information

Official study title

Cognitive and Behavioral Treatment of Compulsive Hoarding

Important dates

Study start
2003
Primary completion
2006
Study completion
2008
First posted
Nov 21, 2003
Registry last updated
Jan 21, 2020

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

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This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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