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ERP Plus Improv Group Therapy for OCD (IMPROVE Study)

Pilot Study of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Plus Improv Group Therapy for OCD

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06265233
Enrollment
7
Registered
2024-02-20
Start date
2024-11-19
Completion date
2025-04-18
Last updated
2026-08-12

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Keywords

Behavioral Therapy, ExRP (Exposure and Response Prevention), ERP, Improv comedy, OCD

Brief summary

The goal of this study is to pilot test a novel group therapy intervention for adults with OCD.

Detailed description

The intervention will incorporate exposure and response prevention (ERP) with improvisational comedy ("improv") activities. ERP is the gold-standard treatment for OCD. Improv comedy is a type of theater in which actors perform without a script. This study aims to evaluate whether the intervention is helpful for reducing OCD symptoms and intolerance of uncertainty (a mechanism maintaining OCD). It will also explore whether the intervention is feasible and acceptable. During the group therapy sessions, participants will engage with improv comedy exercises that have been adapted to function as exposures for different types of OCD. Participants will: * attend an ERP + improv group therapy intervention (90-minute sessions for 12 weeks) * complete homework in-between sessions * answer questions * complete questionnaires.

Interventions

OTHERGroup Improv sessions

Therapist-led 90-minute exposure and response prevention (ERP) combined with improv sessions.

BEHAVIORALGroup Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy

Therapist-led 90-minute exposure and response prevention (ERP) combined with improv sessions.

Sponsors

Stanford University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* At least 18 years of age * Ability to speak and understand English * Clinical diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Exclusion criteria

* Current active suicidality * Medical or psychiatric illness that could interfere with study participation

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in the severity of OCD symptoms as measured by the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS)Baseline and up to 12 weeksChange in OCD severity is measured by the YBOCS (Yale Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale), a gold standard measure of obsessions and compulsions. For the YBOCS the minimum units are 0 and Maximum units on the total scale are 40. The higher the number on the YBOCS, the more severe the symptoms. Response is defined as at least a 35% change on the YBOCS.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Intolerance of Uncertainty ScoreBaseline and up to 12 weeksChange in intolerance of uncertainty (IU) will be measured with the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale - Short Form (IUS-12). IU is the tendency to respond negatively to uncertain situations. The IUS-12 is a 12-item self-report measure that assesses IU. Each item is assessed using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all characteristic of me) to 5 (entirely characteristic of me). It consists of two subscales: Prospective IU and Inhibitory IU. Prospective IU is the cognitive appraisal of a threat related to future uncertainty. Inhibitory IU refers to the behavioral inhibition related to uncertainty. The Prospective IU subscale is comprised of 7 items, while the Inhibitory IU subscale is comprised of 5 items. Scores are summed to generate the two subscale scores and a total score. Total IUS-12 scores range from 12 to 60, with higher scores indicating a higher IU.

Countries

United States

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORCarolyn Rodriguez, MD, PhD

Stanford University

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Aug 13, 2026