In-home Decluttering Augmentation of Group CBT for HD

September 15, 2025 updated by: Volen Ivanov, Karolinska Institutet

In-home Decluttering Augmentation of Group Cognitive-behavior Therapy for Hoarding Disorder: The Joining Forces Randomized Controlled Trial

The primary aim of trial is to determine the clinical efficacy of in-home decluttering augmentation of group CBT for reducing hoarding severity in adults with HD. The trial takes place in Sweden.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

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

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the current evidence-based treatment for HD but the majority of sufferers remain symptomatic after CBT with impairing levels of clutter in their homes. Home visits, with a focus on in-home decluttering, have in previous research been shown to be a promising intervention when combined with CBT. However, augmenting CBT with subsequent home visits has not yet been tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). In response to this, in this trial, we aim to investigate the efficacy of a coordinated intervention, consisting of CBT and in-home decluttering for HD, in an RCT. In this trial, 90 participants with HD will initially receive 12 sessions of CBT through a psychiatric outpatient service. After CBT, participants will be randomized to receive either 10 home visits in 10 weeks, or to a wait list condition. Our hypothesis is that augmenting CBT with home visits will lead to a reduction in hoarding symptoms and clutter and improved daily functioning compared to wait list. We will also investigate the cost-economical aspects of the intervention. Results from this trial have the potential to reveal whether in-home decluttering should be added to CBT in order to reduce symptoms of hoarding and improve function in indviduals with HD.

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 (Estimated)

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.
90

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 Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Sweden
      • Stockholm, Sweden, 141 86
        • M46: Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, Psykiatri Sydväst Stockholm, Huddinge, Sweden, 141 86

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

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Age 18 years or older.
  2. Hoarding disorder as primary psychiatric condition.
  3. Willing and able to understand and complete consent and study procedures.
  4. Living in the Stockholm county (Sweden) and within a 1-hour commute by public transport from the social services office.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Concurrent CBT or having received CBT for HD during the last two years, for a minimum of 8 sessions including active strategies for reducing acquisition and practice of discarding with a qualified therapist or 8 previous in-home decluttering sessions with a qualified social worker.
  2. Unable or unwilling to allow study staff into home for home assessment.
  3. Animal hoarding or squalid (i.e. extremely unhygienic) home conditions that are deemed to put the personnel at risk during the in-home decluttering.
  4. A diagnosis of organic brain disorder, intellectual disability, psychosis, bipolar disorder without stable medication or with symptoms within the last 6 months, anorexia nervosa or alcohol/substance dependence or abuse.
  5. Major medical or neurological conditions that increase the risk of participation or that would prevent completing assigned behavioral practice tasks.
  6. Immediate risk to self or others, requiring urgent medical attention, such as high suicidality risk.
  7. Participant not able to read and communicate in Swedish.
  8. Currently at high risk for eviction (for instance having received a "rättelseanmaning" by the housing company or Swedish court).
  9. Potential participant lives in the same household as an already included participant.

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: In-home decluttering
Study participants receive weekly sessions of in-home decluttering for 10 weeks.
Behavioral: In-home decluttering practice

The in-home decluttering intervention comprises 10, 1.5-hour home-visits over the course of 10 weeks.

These home visits are personalized, goal-oriented and focused on decluttering. They include 1) a brief check-in, 2) guided unclutter time 3) a reflective period during which participants share their thoughts and objectives for the coming week, and 4) homework assignments.
No Intervention: Delayed treatment
Study participants receive weekly session of in-home decluttering after a 10 week delay.

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
Saving Inventory-Revised (SI-R)
Time Frame: Change from baseline (week 0) to post-treatment (week 10),
The SI-R is a 23-item questionnaire with 3 sub-scales: 1) difficulty discarding, 2) excessive clutter, and 3) excessive acquisition.
Change from baseline (week 0) to post-treatment (week 10),
Clutter Image Rating Scale (CIR)
Time Frame: Change from baseline (week 0) to post-treatment (week 10).
Three sets of photographs, each comprising 9 photos of a room with varying levels of clutter. A selection is made as to which photograph best resembles the room of the participant.
Change from baseline (week 0) to post-treatment (week 10).

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.
Karolinska Institutet

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.
Region Stockholm
Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research
City of Stockholm

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: Volen Ivanov, PhD, Karolinska Institutet

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.

General Publications

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.
January 29, 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.
February 27, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
March 31, 2026

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 13, 2021

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 13, 2021

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 15, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

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.
September 19, 2025

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.
September 15, 2025

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.
September 1, 2025

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.
  • 2020-05798

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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