Improving Attentional and Cognitive Control in the Psychological Treatment of Intrusive Thoughts

March 5, 2026 updated by: Ryan Jane Jacoby, Massachusetts General Hospital

Targeting Attentional and Cognitive Control to Enhance the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Repetitive Negative Thinking

The investigators are conducting this study to learn more about the cognitive and attentional processes among individuals with three types of repetitive negative thinking (RNT): mental rituals (as seen in obsessive compulsive disorder, OCD), worries (as seen in generalized anxiety disorder, GAD), and ruminations (as seen in major depressive disorder, MDD). Specifically, the investigators are studying whether psychological treatment can help people with RNT who have trouble stopping unwanted thoughts and shifting their attention.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The current study will examine whether enhancing attention regulation skills in a transdiagnostic intervention for repetitive negative thinking (RNT) will significantly improve the target of attentional/cognitive control. Phase 1 is an open pilot trial in which participants will be assigned to eight 60 minute sessions (over 8 weeks) of Emotion Regulation Therapy-Attention Regulation (AR-ERT). In Phase 2, participants will be randomly assigned (like the flip of a coin) to receive eight 60 minute sessions (over 8 weeks) of either: AR-ERT or Supportive Psychotherapy (SPT). The investigators will use a multi-method approach to measure attentional/cognitive control: (a) behavioral (i.e., eye tracking fixations and reaction time), (b) electrophysiological (i.e., event related potentials), and (c) self-report (i.e., perceived ability to shift and focus attention). They also will examine early signs of treatment efficacy of AR-ERT and SPT and target validation (i.e., whether changes in attentional/cognitive control correlate with changes in RNT and associated symptoms). Participants will receive assessments of these target and outcome measures at baseline (week 0), mid-treatment (week 4), post-treatment (week 8), and 3-month follow-up (week 20 - Phase 2 only). While most of these procedures are conducted virtually (e.g., therapy sessions), some (e.g., eye tracking and electrophysiological assessments) will be performed in-person. Findings could help identify a cross-cutting target that can be engaged to optimize treatment response for individuals with elevated RNT.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
65

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02114
        • Massachusetts General Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years to 56 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults ages 18-60 years old
  • Right-handed
  • Living in Massachusetts
  • Repetitive Negative Thinking (RNT) in the form of mental rituals, worries, and/or depressive ruminations is the primary reason for seeking treatment
  • RNT significant enough to warrant intervention
  • Fluent in English, willing to provide informed consent, and willing to comply with the study protocol
  • Access to a device with an internet connection, camera, and microphone (e.g., computer, smart phone, tablet)
  • Comfortable and capable of using a computer and completing reaction-time tasks

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of head injury or neurologic disease, mental retardation, or borderline intellectual functioning that would interfere with ability to participate in the study.
  • Impaired (or uncorrected) vision, medical illness, or medical treatment that would interfere with participation.
  • Active suicidal or homicidal ideation or any features requiring a higher level of care.
  • Lifetime psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder
  • Substance or alcohol use disorder that would interfere with treatment.
  • Current Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) that would interfere with attentional tasks.
  • Unstable dose of psychotropic medications or recent discontinuation of psychotropic medication.
  • Current psychotherapy or plans to initiate such treatment during the study.
  • Previous course of treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy and/or mindfulness/meditation for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or depression.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Phase 2: Emotion Regulation Therapy - Attention Regulation (AR-ERT)
Individuals with repetitive negative thinking receiving Emotion Regulation Therapy - Attention Regulation.
Behavioral: Emotion Regulation Therapy - Attention Regulation (AR-ERT)
Participants will receive a total of eight 60 minute sessions (over 8 weeks) of individual, manual-based AR-ERT. This intervention aims to build attention regulation skills (i.e., the ability to flexibly shift and sustain attention) by teaching participants exercises for Orienting their attention and Allowing the presence of negative emotions. Participants are taught to apply these skills to counteract reactive perseverative thinking when negative emotions arise as well as proactively engage with emotion-laden situations that trigger repetitive negative thinking.
Active Comparator: Phase 2: Supportive Psychotherapy (SPT)
Individuals with repetitive negative thinking receiving Supportive Psychotherapy.
Behavioral: Supportive Psychotherapy (SPT)
Participants will receive a total of eight 60 minute sessions (over 8 weeks) of individual, manual-based SPT. This intervention addresses factors that may affect participants' repetitive negative thinking symptoms (for example, relationships, work, stress), and teaches skills for managing challenges by improving self-esteem and positive coping skills.
Experimental: Phase 1: Pilot Testing Phase
Individuals with repetitive negative thinking receiving Emotion Regulation Therapy - Attention Regulation.
Behavioral: Emotion Regulation Therapy - Attention Regulation (AR-ERT)
Participants will receive a total of eight 60 minute sessions (over 8 weeks) of individual, manual-based AR-ERT. This intervention aims to build attention regulation skills (i.e., the ability to flexibly shift and sustain attention) by teaching participants exercises for Orienting their attention and Allowing the presence of negative emotions. Participants are taught to apply these skills to counteract reactive perseverative thinking when negative emotions arise as well as proactively engage with emotion-laden situations that trigger repetitive negative thinking.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Transdiagnostic Repetitive Negative Thinking (Measured by the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire [PTQ]) Assessed in Phase I (Pilot Trial) and Group Differences Compared at 8 Weeks in Phase 2 Randomized Controlled Trial
Time Frame: Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
15-item self-report measure of transdiagnostic repetitive negative thinking that includes items about thoughts as repetitive, intrusive, unproductive, and capturing mental capacity (e.g., "I think about many problems without solving any of them"). Total scores range from 0-60, with higher scores indicating more repetitive negative thinking (i.e., worse outcomes).
Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Worry (Measured by the Penn State Worry Questionnaire [PSWQ]) Assessed in Phase I (Pilot Trial) and Group Differences Compared at 8 Weeks in Phase 2 Randomized Controlled Trial
Time Frame: Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
16-item self-report measure of the tendency to engage in excessive, uncontrollable, and generalized worry (e.g., "I am always worrying about something"). Total scores range from 16-80, with higher scores indicating more worry (i.e., worse outcomes).
Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
Rumination (Measured by the Rumination Response Scale [RRS]) Assessed in Phase I (Pilot Trial) and Group Differences Compared at 8 Weeks in Phase 2 Randomized Controlled Trial
Time Frame: Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
22-item self-report measure of the tendency to ruminate or dwell on one's distress and it's possible causes and consequences when feeling down, sad, or depressed (e.g., "Think about all your shortcomings, failings, faults, mistakes"). Total scores range from 22-88, with higher scores indicating more rumination (i.e., worse outcomes).
Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
Mental Rituals (Measured by the Rumination on Obsessions and Compulsions Scale [ROCS] - Mental Neutralizing Subscale) Assessed in Phase I (Pilot Trial) and Group Differences Compared at 8 Weeks in Phase 2 Randomized Controlled Trial
Time Frame: Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
The ROCS is a 33-item self-report measure that assesses the frequency of various mental responses to obsessional thoughts or images in the past month with 3 sub-scales: Mental Neutralizing, Acceptance, and Rumination on OCD symptoms (no total score is used). The Mental Neutralizing Sub-Scale is 18 items and specifically assesses mental rituals including arguing with oneself, reconstructing rituals, effort against thoughts, and distraction (e.g., "I feel compelled to collect all arguments that refute the intrusive thought or image"). Total scores (which are an average of the subscale items) range from 0-4, with higher scores indicating more mental rituals (i.e., worse outcomes).
Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
OCD Symptom Severity (Measured by the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale [Y-BOCS]) Assessed in Phase I (Pilot Trial) and Group Differences Compared at 8 Weeks in Phase 2 Randomized Controlled Trial
Time Frame: Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
10-item clinician-administered interview measure of past week symptom severity of obsessions and compulsions including: time, interference, distress, resistance, and control. Total scores range from 0-40, with higher scores indicating higher levels of OCD symptom severity (i.e., worse outcomes).
Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
Generalized Anxiety Symptom Severity (Measured by the Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [SIGH-A]) Assessed in Phase I (Pilot Trial) and Group Differences Compared at 8 Weeks in Phase 2 Randomized Controlled Trial
Time Frame: Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
14-item structured, clinician-administered interview measure of past week anxiety symptom severity including: anxious mood, tension, fears, insomnia, cognitive symptoms, depressed mood, somatic (muscular, sensory) symptoms, cardiovascular symptoms, respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, genitourinary symptoms, autonomic symptoms, and observed behavior. Total scores range from 0-56, with higher scores indicating higher levels of generalized anxiety symptoms (i.e., worse outcomes).
Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
Depression Symptom Severity (Measured by the Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [SIGH-D]) Assessed in Phase I (Pilot Trial) and Group Differences Compared at 8 Weeks in Phase 2 Randomized Controlled Trial
Time Frame: Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
17-item interview measure of past week depression symptom severity including: depressed mood, interest in work and activities, insomnia (early, middle, and late), genital symptoms, gastrointestinal somatic symptoms, loss of weight, general somatic symptoms, feelings of guilt, suicide, psychic anxiety, somatic anxiety, hypochondriasis, insight, agitation, retardation. Total scores range from 0-52, with higher scores indicating more depression (i.e., worse outcomes).
Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
Functional Impairment (Measured by the Work and Social Adjustment Scale [WSAS]) Assessed in Phase I (Pilot Trial) and Group Differences Compared at 8 Weeks in Phase 2 Randomized Controlled Trial
Time Frame: Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)
5-item self-report scale assessing disability in work, home management, social leisure activities, private leisure activities, and the ability to form and maintain close relationships. Total scores range from 0-40, with higher scores indicating more functional impairment (i.e., worse outcomes).
Week 0 (baseline), week 4 (mid-treatment), week 8 (post-treatment), and week 20 (3-month follow-up)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Massachusetts General Hospital

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Ryan J Jacoby, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 30, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 22, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 9, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 7, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 8, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 13, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 10, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 5, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2019P003768
  • 1K23MH120351-01A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

The investigators do not have specific plans to share individual participant data in order to preserve the confidentiality of our participants. Any data that is shared would only be done so after executing a formal Data Use Agreement from Massachusetts General Hospital.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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