Research into OCD

Research for OCD is long overdue and in this section we will share research projects and allow students to post details of their research projects.

For those people affected by OCD please continue to check this page for details of the latest research projects where your important comments will often be required.

Researchers: Please note that we only accept requests for NHS ethically approved research, and all listing requests must include your NHS ethical committee reference number and contact details for the ethical board that approved the study.

Could you help Professor Salkovskis with his research?

General Information
To continue the success of their current research programmes aimed at improving the understanding and treatment of individuals with anxiety problems, Professor Salkovskis is looking for participants for their studies.

Study Title: An investigation of reassurance seeking.
This is a research study investigating reassurance seeking, which is a common reaction when people feel anxious. We are recruiting participants who are aged 18-65, and currently have diagnosis of OCD. Please note that we are interested in people who do not seek much (or any!) reassurance but also those who do.

We will send a 20-page questionnaire which takes about 40 minutes to complete. You will receive £10 gift voucher for taking part. The questionnaire also has the information about the experimental study in which you may be interested.

Ethical Issues
This project has been reviewed by the Joint South London and Maudsley and the Institute of Psychiatry NHS Research Ethics Committee (REC reference: 07/Q0706/39). Your participation is entirely voluntary and you are free to withdraw at any time, without giving a reason for doing so. If you are receiving NHS treatment this will NOT in any way be affected if you do or do not wish to take part or you withdraw from the study. We will not disclose your participation to anyone (e.g., family members, GP) unless you would like us to. The information you provide throughout the course of the research will be stored anonymously and will be kept strictly confidential. This information will only be accessed by Professor Salkovskis and his research team.

What should I do if I want to take part?
If you are interested in taking part and would like further information, please let us know your full name and postal address, and contact us:

By post:
Ms Lesley Anderson
Institute of Psychiatry,
PO77
De Crespigny Park,
Denmark Hill
London
SE5 8AF

By telephone: By telephone: 020 7848 5038

By fax: 020 7848 5037

By email: l.anderson@iop.kcl.ac.uk

If you are able to participate in any of these studies, it will help us to develop better treatment for people with anxiety problems. Thank you for your interest.

Professor Paul Salkovskis
Professor of Clinical Psychology and Applied Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, (Kings College London) Director of the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma, Maudsley Hospital

 

Has your child got OCD?

Are you interested in taking part in a research project investigating the caregiving experiences of parents of children and young people with a diagnosis of obsessive compulsive disorder?

I am undertaking this research as part of my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Canterbury Christ Church University.  I am interested in the experiences parents have of caring for a child with OCD. I am looking for parents/ carers of children under 18 years who are willing to write about their experiences and complete a few questionnaires.

If you are interested in this study and would like to find out more please contact Annabel Futh on 01892 50 7673.  This is a 24-hour answerphone.    Please leave my name, your name and your contact details and I will contact you within a few days.  Alternatively you can email me at af96@cant.ac.uk.

Ethical Approval Reference: 07/H0807/42 (Ethical contact: The Joint South London and Maudsley and The Institute of Psychiatry NHS Research Ethics Committee - 020 3299 5033 )

Thinking And Anxeity

Participants are needed for an online ANONYMOUS SURVEY of how ways of thinking may be related to experiencing anxiety. It should take between 30-45 minutes to complete.

We have developed a series of questionnaires aimed at unravelling what places certain people at greater risk for developing problems with anxiety. We also hope to better characterize the nature of anxiety problems. The set of measures to date has profited greatly from the input of individuals with anxiety problems. We hope to continue this collaborative relationship, and are currently seeking participants for an online survey furthering this line of research.

**THOSE PARTICIPATING WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A PRIZE DRAW WITH ONE £50 PRIZE, TWO £25 PRIZES, AND THREE £10 PRIZES.**

If you think that you might be interested, please follow this link (or click on the message link) for more information: http://tinyurl.com/2pcogs

Ethical Approval Reference: 07/H0706/66 (Ethical contact: The Royal Holloway Riverside Research Ethics Committee - 020 8846 7282)

Participants needed for research into the boundaries between different psychiatric diagnoses

This research aims to look at whether psychiatric diagnoses are really separate from each other, or whether people with different diagnoses share symptoms and experiences.

If you experience difficulties with OCD, or any other kind of anxiety disorder, I would really like to interview you about your symptoms. The interview takes between 30 and 60 minutes, and could be carried out at a convenient location for you, such as your home or an NHS facility near you. I can also pay your travel expenses, if you have any.

This research will form part of my doctorate in clinical psychology, and has been approved by the University of Liverpool research committee. It is hoped that the findings will be published to add to the literature that will improve diagnostic practices in the future.

I would be happy to answer any queries about the research – contacting me does not mean that you have to take part. I am happy travel within the North West region, to interview people at home, or at local NHS facilities. If you live further away than this, but would like to take part, please call me and we can try to arrange something convenient!

Thank you!

Contact:            Gemma Parker
Telephone:        0151 794 5534 or 0151 794 5530
Email:               gparker@liv.ac.uk

This study is NRES ethically approved from the Merseycare NHS Trust.

DTI study in early-onset Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

General Information
The University of Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry is recruiting participants between the ages of 12-18 who have been diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder for a study exploring the nerve connections in the brain which may be associated with the disorder. If you are interested in taking part, please read the following information letter and contact Dr A James at the Warneford Hospital in Oxford on 01865 226285. In order to take part written consent must be obtained from the participant and their parent/guardian.

What is the purpose of the study?
I am approaching you, as a teenager who has suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder to see whether you would be willing to help in a research project, which hopes to answer questions about the growth and development of the brain in adolescence and how this relates to obsessive-compulsive disorder. We are study the nerve connections or white matter tracts in the brain using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or brain scan. This is safe and is non invasive, however, if there is a possibility of you being pregnant then we would advise against the scan.

If you decide to take part the research will consist of three parts:
1. MRI brain scan The study will involve a MRI brain scan, which gives very detailed pictures of the brain, and its structure. The aim of the research is to see how the growth of nerve fibre tracts develop in young people, some of whom have had experiences similar to yours, and who are still developing compared to adults. These nerve fibre tracts carry information from one part of the brain to another. This procedure will take about 30 minutes in all and you would be asked to lie on a table in the scanner, which is like a large tube. The machine, however, can be noisy so earplugs are given to you, you will also be able to listen to music through special headphones. (You can bring your own CD or radio to listen to). You are also given a buzzer to press in case you want the scan to stop at any time. The procedure is safe and there are no side effects in taking part. The scan will only be used for research purposes and will be kept confidential. The scan is not diagnostic, however, in the unlikely chance that an abnormality is detected this will be discussed with you and passed on to your psychiatrist or GP with your permission.

2. Psychological Assessment
A psychologist will also undertake tests of intelligence and memory, which should last one and half hours. This part of the study can be done at your convenience. These tests involve sitting in front of a computer screen and identifying shapes, some general knowledge and problem solving tests.

3. Psychiatric Interview
We would as you first to have a short interview with a research psychiatrist who will ask you some questions which will last about one hour.

What are the side effects of taking part?
MRI scanning is safe with very few risks or side effects. You may, however, experience some discomfort, due to scanner noise which can be reduced by listening to a CD of your choice (please bring one along and take it back!) or watch a video or listen to the radio. If you wish we can supply earplugs. You may want to have your parent/ guardian with you in the scanner room or a member of the research team.

MRI scanning is a very safe procedure with very little risk. The MRI scans are not used for diagnosis, however, if an abnormality is detected, then a neuroradiologist will be asked to inspect the scan. The results of this will be discussed with you and you will be given appropriate medical advice. There is no intended clinical benefit from taking part in the trial, however, the information we get from this study may help us to understand and hopefully in the longer-term treat future patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder better.

The study has been funded by the Oxford Health Services Research Committee (OHSRC Ref 847)

The Mid and South Bucks Research Ethics Committee reviewed the study. For further information or any queries you can contact:
Dr A James
Highfield Adolescent unit,
Warneford Hospital,
Oxford, OX3 7JX
Tel: 01865 226285
Fax: 01865 226381

 

Back to Top ^ | Homepage | E-mail this page to a friend
OCD-UK is a non-profit making charity and not associated with any other organasation.
Medical information is provided for education/information purposes only, you should obtain further advice from your doctor. Any links to external websites have been carefully selected, however we are not responsible for the content of these third party websites.
Copyright © 2004-2008 OCD-UK. All rights reserved.
WC3 XHTML 1.0 Validated | WC3 CSS Validated | Sitemap | Accessibility