An interventional study of Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Somatoform Disorders, sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital. Completed at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-02.
Sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
In an earlier phase of this study, a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) manual to treat body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) symptoms was developed. We are currently implementing this manual-based treatment to validate its effectiveness in patients with BDD.
BDD is a disease that involves preoccupation with imagined or minor physical flaws. The condition often begins in adolescence and, if left untreated, can cause significant social, emotional, and occupational distress. Within the last decade, BDD has received increased attention, and various modes of treatment have been utilized and evaluated. CBT has been found to be a more effective form of treatment than other types of psychotherapy. In this study, we have created a new CBT treatment manual and are currently implementing it to evaluate its effectiveness in patients with BDD. The utility of this manual for different populations will also be evaluated, and adherence and competence measures to assess CBT delivery will be developed.
This study will last 24 weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned (like the flip of a coin) to either start CBT treatment immediately or to a waitlist group, which would require a 3-month wait without treatment before beginning treatment for this study. Participants have a 50-50 chance of being in either group. Participants will receive a total of 22 sessions of individual, manual-based CBT. The CBT sessions will occur weekly during the course of the study. During the sessions, participants will receive education about BDD and CBT, engage in activities that help them confront their BDD, learn new ways of thinking about body image, and learn relapse prevention techniques. Self-report scales will be used to assess participants.
56 studies on the registry are indexed under Body Dysmorphic Disorders; 11 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 36 is below the median of 52 across 44 interventional studies indexed under Body Dysmorphic Disorders.
Browse Body Dysmorphic Disorders studies →Massachusetts General Hospital is the lead sponsor of 2,586 studies on the registry; 447 are open to participants now.
Of its 222 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 168 (76%) have results posted.
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Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.
DSM diagnostic criteria
The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Group receiving immediate treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy
Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Waitlist control group to begin CBT 3 months after other CBT group begins treatment
Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Participants will receive a total of 22 sessions of individual, manual-based CBT. The CBT sessions will occur weekly during the course of the study. During the sessions, participants will receive education about BDD and CBT, engage in activities that help them confront their BDD, learn new ways of thinking about body image, and learn relapse prevention techniques.
Also known as: CBT
Body dysmorphic disorder symptoms
Time frame: Measured at Months 6 and 9
Functioning and life satisfaction
Time frame: Measured at Months 6 and 9
Depressive symptoms
Time frame: Measured at Months 6 and 9
Anxiety symptoms
Time frame: Measured at Months 6 and 9
The record gives a start of Apr 2004, a primary completion of Dec 2008 and a completion of Dec 2008. It does not say whether these dates are actual or estimated.
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This study is completed, as verified in Jun 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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