Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Religious OCD

Efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Religiously Oriented Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

The purpose of the study is to examine the effects and feasibility of a specific form of psychotherapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), on religiously oriented obsessive and compulsive disorder (OCD).

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 10
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: David Johnson; Phone Number: 8013891733; Email: dajohns4@uab.edu
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Nicholas Borgogna, PhD; Phone Number: 7579693677; Email: borgogna@uab.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Alabama
    • Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35233
      • Recruiting
      • University of Alabama at Birmingham
      • Contact: David Johnson, MA; Phone Number: (205) 547-9502; Email: dajohns4@uab.edu
      • Contact: Nicholas Borgogna, PhD; Email: borgogna@uab.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years old
• Meet cutoff scores for scrupulosity

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of psychotic symptoms within six months of screening
• Current suicidal/homicidal plan/intent and/or a suicide/homicide attempt within 6 months of screening
• Non-suicidal self-injury within 6 months of screening
• Narcotics use within 3 months of screening
• Purging/restricting behavior within 3 months of screening.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; Participants will receive twelve consecutive weeks of acceptance and commitment therapy	Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; participants will then receive ACT-based individual therapy weekly for twelve weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Scrupulosity Obsessions and Compulsions Scale	The Scrupulosity Obsessions and Compulsions Scale (SOCS) is a 10-item scale that asks participants how often they experience religious OCD obsessions and compulsions. The questions are asked on a scale ranging from 0 (Very Rarely) to 5 (Very Often).	At baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and post-intervention (12 weeks)
Experiential Avoidance Rating Scale	The Experiential Avoidance Rating Scale (EARS) is a 6-item scale that asks participants how true statements about avoiding experiences are for them. The questions are asked on a scale ranging from 1 (Never True) to 5 (Very Often True).	At baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and post-intervention (12 weeks)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Centrality of Religiosity Scale - Interreligious 20	The Centrality of Religiosity Scale - Interreligious 20 (CRSi-20) is a 20-item scale assessing religiosity across 5 dimensions (Intellect, Ideology, Public practice, Private practice, Experience). The questions are asked on scales ranging from Never to Several times a day, Never to Very often, and Not at all to Very much so.	Pre and post intervention which in general lasts 12 weeks
Yale-Brown Obsessive and Compulsive Scale - Self Report	The Yale-Brown Obsessive and Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) is a 12-item scale that asks participants whether they experience various OCD obsessions and compulsions. Participants are then asked how much time is spent on these obsessions and compulsions, whether they give in to the urge to perform compulsions, how strong the drive is to give in to compulsions, how they would feel if they were prevented from engaging in compulsions, and how much the compulsions and avoidance of compulsions interfere with their functioning.	Pre and post intervention which in general lasts 12 weeks
Patient Health Questionnaire - 9	The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is a 9-item scale that asks participants how often they have been bothered by aspects of depressive symptoms. The questions are asked on a scale ranging from 0 (Not at all) to 5 (Nearly every day).	Pre and post intervention which in general lasts 12 weeks
Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 7	The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) is a 7-item scale that asks participants how often they have been bothered by statements capturing aspects of anxiety. The questions are asked on a scale ranging from 0 (Not at all) to 3 (Nearly every day).	Pre and post intervention which in general lasts 12 weeks
The Intrinsic Spirituality Scale	The Intrinsic Spirituality Scale is a 6-item scale that asks participants about aspects of their spirituality.	Pre and post intervention which in general lasts 12 weeks
Psy-Flex	The Psyflex questionnaire is a 6-item scale that measures aspects of psychological flexibility. The questions are asked on a scale ranging from very seldom to often.	Pre and post intervention which in general lasts 12 weeks
Almost Perfect Scale - Revised	The Almost Perfect Scale - Revised is a 23-item scale that asks participants their agreement on items capturing perfectionism. The questions are asked on a scale ranging from 1 (Strongly disagree) to 7 (Strongly agree).	Pre and post intervention which in general lasts 12 weeks
The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test	The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is a 10-item scale that asks participants about their alcohol consumption.	Pre and post intervention which in general lasts 12 weeks
National Institute on Drug Abuse Screener	National Institute on Drug Abuse Screener (NIDA) is a 1-item scale that asks participants how often they use a variety of substances. The questions are asked on a scale ranging from Never to Daily or Almost Daily.	Pre and post intervention which in general lasts 12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 30, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 16, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 16, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): October 18, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 19, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 17, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: OCD; obsessive-compulsive disorder; acceptance and commitment therapy; religion; scrupulosity
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Anxiety Disorders; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Behavior Therapy; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
• Other Study ID Numbers: 300013565-001; UAB (Other Identifier: UAB)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES

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