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Not yet recruitingNCT07239401Updated Nov 20, 2025

Feasibility and Efficacy Trial of a Culturally Adapted Guided Self-Help CBT Manual for OCD

An interventional study of Culturally adapted Guided Self-Help OCD Manual in Obsessive - Compulsive Disorder, sponsored by Pakistan Association of Cognitive Therapists. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-11-20.

Sponsored by Pakistan Association of Cognitive Therapists · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Feb 2026, 8 months ago, but the record still lists the study as not yet recruiting.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
108
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a culturally adapted, guided self-help cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) manual specifically designed for individuals with OCD in Pakistan.

Read the detailed description

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic and debilitating mental health condition characterised by persistent, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviours or mental acts (compulsions). These symptoms are often distressing, time-consuming, and cause significant functional impairment and reduction in quality of life. Cognitive and behavioural therapies, particularly the Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), have consistently demonstrated efficacy as a first-line treatment for OCD. However, access to trained therapists remains limited in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Pakistan.

Self-help interventions rooted in CBT principles, especially when culturally adapted, represent a promising, scalable, and cost-effective alternative to conventional therapy. Previous research in Pakistan has shown the feasibility and acceptability of culturally adapted CBT (CaCBT) in treating depression and OCD within primary care and outpatient settings (Naeem et al., 2011; Aslam et al., 2015).

This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a culturally adapted, guided self-help CBT manual specifically designed for individuals with OCD in Pakistan.

02

Conditions studied

  • Obsessive - Compulsive Disorder

Keywords

  • OCD
  • Obsessive compulsive disorder
  • Guided self-help
  • CBT
03

In context

Compulsive Personality Disorder

367 studies on the registry are indexed under Compulsive Personality Disorder; 67 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 108 is above the median of 37 across 306 interventional studies indexed under Compulsive Personality Disorder.

Browse Compulsive Personality Disorder studies →

Lead sponsor

Pakistan Association of Cognitive Therapists is the lead sponsor of 13 studies on the registry; 9 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Age ≥ 18 years
  • Clinical diagnosis of OCD (with or without comorbid depression)
  • Minimum 5 years of formal education
  • Residing within commuting distance of the participating sites
  • Ability to read and write Urdu
  • Provision of informed written consent

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current substance use or dependence (diagnosed)
  • Significant cognitive impairment (e.g., dementia or intellectual disability)
  • OCD with active psychosis
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Participant)
Enrollment
108 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Culturally adapted guided self-help OCD

    Participants will receive a culturally adapted guided self-help OCD manual based on culturally adapted CBT principles, designed to be used over ten weeks. The manual includes: Psychoeducation, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Thought distraction techniques, Mood tracking and thought diaries, Identifying and modifying cognitive distortions, Problem-solving and communication strategies, and Relaxation and well-being exercises. Participants will receive the self-help manual at the time of initial assessment and intake, and then will be provided with telephone support. Psychology graduates working as guides will provide weekly telephone support. Intervention will be provided flexibly over 12 weeks. The second contact will be made at the time of final assessment on the 12th week.

    Other: Culturally adapted Guided Self-Help OCD Manual

  • No intervention
    Treatment as Usual (TAU)

    Participants in the control group will receive standard outpatient care, which typically includes medication and brief consultation with psychiatrists or general practitioners. No formal psychological intervention will be offered during the study period. Pre-post assessment will be conducted over a 12-week span.

Interventions

  • OtherCulturally adapted Guided Self-Help OCD Manual

    Participants will receive a culturally adapted guided self-help OCD manual based on culturally adapted CBT principles, designed to be used over ten weeks. The manual includes: Psychoeducation, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Thought distraction techniques, Mood tracking and thought diaries, Identifying and modifying cognitive distortions, Problem-solving and communication strategies, and Relaxation and well-being exercises. Participants will receive the self-help manual at the time of initial assessment and intake, and then will be provided with telephone support. Psychology graduates working as guides will provide weekly telephone support. Intervention will be provided flexibly over 12 weeks. The second contact will be made at the time of final assessment on the 12th week.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms

    As assessed through participants' scores on the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  2. Feasibility and acceptability

    Feasibility and acceptability will be assessed through trial procedure, recruitment, retention and informal feedback from participants.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  3. Clients' satisfaction

    The client satisfaction scale will be used. At the end of the intervention, researchers will ask participants to describe their experience. They will be asked to name the sessions they found most or least helpful and to provide suggestions for improving the intervention.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Anxiety & depression

    As assessed through participants' scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  2. Functionality

    As assessed through participants' scores on the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2 (WHODAS 2)

    Time frame: 12 weeks

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 20, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07239401
Lead sponsor
Pakistan Association of Cognitive Therapists
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Nov 20, 2025
Start date
Nov 2025 (estimated)
Primary completion
Feb 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Feb 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 20, 2025

Study contacts

Mirrat Gul Butt, PhD
principal investigator · Pakistan Association of Cognitive Therapists

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Nov 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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