An interventional study of Family Accommodation Reduction and Family Psychoeducation in Obsessive - Compulsive Disorder, Family Accommodation and OCD, sponsored by Karen Rowa. Enrolling by invitation at 2 sites in Canada. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-06.
Sponsored by Karen Rowa · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if offering a Family Accommodation Reduction (FAR) intervention to family members before OCD patients start CBT can improve CBT outcomes. The current study will offer 6 sessions of Family Accommodation Reduction (FAR) or OCD psychoeducation for the family member before the person with OCD receives 12 sessions of group CBT (GCBT).
The main questions it aims to answer are:
Researchers will compare CBT outcomes between people whose family member received the FAR intervention versus psychoeducation and see if any benefits last at a 3-month follow-up.
Participating Family Members will:
Participating Patients will:
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common and disabling disorder. Effective treatments include medication and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), but many people continue to experience symptoms. Thus, it is important to consider ways to improve treatment outcomes for people with OCD. A promising option is to address family accommodation. Family accommodation, a common but problematic behavior, occurs when family members participate in OCD rituals, change their expectations of their loved one, or modify their own behaviours to make their loved one with OCD feel better. Family accommodation is related to worse OCD symptoms and outcomes in CBT. To address this, our team created a 6-session skill-training intervention that helps family members reduce accommodation in a gradual and manageable way. In a pilot study, we offered this intervention to family members independent of CBT for the person with OCD. Family members found this intervention helpful, and it resulted in large reductions in accommodation. The next step is to see if offering this intervention to family members before patients start CBT can improve CBT outcomes. The current study will offer 6 sessions of Family Accommodation Reduction (FAR) or OCD psychoeducation for the family member before the person with OCD receives 12 sessions of group CBT. We will compare CBT outcomes between people whose family member received the FAR intervention versus psychoeducation and see if any benefits last at a 3-month follow-up. We predict that patients whose family member receives FAR will do better in CBT than patients whose family receives psychoeducation. We will measure OCD symptom severity, quality of life, and level of functioning for the person with OCD. The results of this study could provide a valuable, transferable option to augment CBT outcomes for people with OCD.
635 studies on the registry are indexed under Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; 166 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 480 is above the median of 45 across 520 interventional studies indexed under Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
Browse Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder studies →This is the only study on the registry with Karen Rowa as lead sponsor.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Patients with OCD:
Family members:
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients with OCD:
Participants incapable of providing will be excluded.
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.
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
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.
Clinically significant
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Family member randomized to this condition will receive 6 weeks of a Family Accommodation Reduction intervention
Behavioral: Family Accommodation Reduction
Family member randomized to this condition will receive 6 weeks of Family Psychoeducation for OCD
Behavioral: Family Psychoeducation
6 week Family Accommodation Reduction Intervention
6 week Family Psychoeducation program for OCD
Change in OCD Symptom Severity from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Patient Self-Report)
OCD symptom severity is measured by the self-report Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Second Edition (Y-BOCS-II; Storch et al., 2010). The Y-BOCS-II has 10 items pertaining to obsessions and compulsions rated on a Likert scale. Scores range from 0 to 40 with higher scores indicating increased symptom severity.
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Change in Quality of Life from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Patient Self-Report)
Quality of life is measured by the Illness Intrusiveness Rating Scale (IIRS; Devins, 1994). The IIRS is a 13-item self-report measure of the degree to which symptoms interfere with important life domains (e.g., work, family relationships). Total scores range from 13 (minimum intrusiveness) to 91 (extreme intrusiveness).
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Change in Functional Impairment from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Patient Self-Report)
Functional Impairment is measured by: 1. The Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS; Sheehan et al., 1983). The SDS is a brief measure of disability and functional impairment due to psychiatric or medical symptoms focused on work, social life/leisure activities, and family life/home responsibilities. Scores range from 0 (unimpaired) to 30 (highly impaired). 2. The Family Functioning Scale (FFS; Stewart et al., 2017). The FFS is a self-report scale of how much family impairment arises from OCD symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 63 with higher scores indicating increased family impairment.
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Change in Family Accommodation from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Family Member Self- Report)
Family Accommodation is measured by the Family Accommodation Scale for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - Self-Rated Version (FAS-SR, Pinto et al., 2013). The FAS-SR is a 19-item self-report measure that gathers information about the degree to which family members participate in accommodating behaviours. Scores range from 0 to 76 with higher scores indicating more family accommodation.
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Change in Family Accommodation from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Patient Self- Report)
Family Accommodation is measured by the Family Accommodation Scale for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - Patient Version (FAS-PV; Wu et al., 2016) is a 19-item self-report measure that gathers information about the degree to which an OCD patient's family member participates in accommodating behaviours. Scores range from 0 to 76 with higher scores indicating more family accommodation.
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Change in OCD Symptom Severity from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Family Member Self-Report)
OCD symptom severity is measured by the self-report Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Second Edition (Y-BOCS-II; Storch et al., 2010). This will be administered to family members as well given the tendency for OCD symptoms to cluster within families. The Y-BOCS-II has 10 items pertaining to obsessions and compulsions rated on a Likert scale. Scores range from 0 to 40 with higher scores indicating increased symptom severity.
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Change in Severity of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Patient Self-Report)
The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21; Lovibond \& Lovibond, 1995) is a 21-item self-report measure designed to assess the severity of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 63 on each of the subscales (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress), with higher scores indicating increased symptom severity.
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Change in Severity of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Family Member Self-Report)
The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21; Lovibond \& Lovibond, 1995) is a 21-item self-report measure designed to assess the severity of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 63 on each of the subscales (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress), with higher scores indicating increased symptom severity.
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Change in Quality of Life from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Family Member Self-Report)
Quality of life is measured by the Illness Intrusiveness Rating Scale (IIRS; Devins, 1994). The IIRS is a 13-item self-report measure of the degree to which symptoms interfere with important life domains (e.g., work, family relationships). Total scores range from 13 (minimum intrusiveness) to 91 (extreme intrusiveness).
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Change in Functional Impairment from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Family Member Self-Report)
Functional Impairment is measured by the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS; Sheehan et al., 1983). The SDS is a brief measure of disability and functional impairment due to psychiatric or medical symptoms focused on work, social life/leisure activities, and family life/home responsibilities. Scores range from 0 (unimpaired) to 30 (highly impaired).
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Change in Family Functional Impairment from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Family Member Self-Report)
Family Functional Impairment is measured by the Family Functioning Scale (FFS; Stewart et al., 2017). The FFS is a self-report scale of how much family impairment arises from OCD. Scores range from 0 to 63 with higher scores indicating increased family impairment.
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Change in Emotional Expression from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Family Member Self-Report)
Emotional expression is measured by the Family Questionnaire (FQ; Wiedemann, Rayki, Feinstein, \& Hahlweg, 2002). The FQ is a 20 items self-report measure of criticism and emotional overinvolvement. Scores range from 20 to 80, with higher scores indicating greater levels of expressed emotion.
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Change in Perception of Expressed Emotion from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Patient Self-Report)
Perception of Expressed Emotion is measured by the Brief Dyadic Scale of Expressed Emotion (BDSEE; Medina-Pradas et al., 2011). The BDSEE is a 14 item scale assessing patients' perceptions of loved ones' expressed emotions on two components: Critical comments and Emotional overinvolvement. Scores range from 0 to 140 with higher scores indicating higher levels of criticism, hostility, and emotional overinvolvement within close relationships.
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Change in Obsessive-Compulsive Characteristics from Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment (Patient Self-Report)
Obsessive-Compulsive Characteristics are measured by the Obsessive-Compulsive Trait Core Dimensions Questionnaire (OC-TCDQ; Summerfeldt et al., 2014). the OC-TCDQ is a 20- item self-report measure scored across two dimensions: Harm Avoidance (HA) and Incompleteness (INC). Scores range from 20 to 100 with higher scores indicating stronger motivational tendencies toward harm avoidance and/or incompleteness.
Time frame: Baseline to 3-Months Post-Treatment
Plan to share: No — The data collected is on vulnerable populations with mental health difficulties.
Started Sep 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Sep 2031, 60 months after the start.
Of 234 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, half reached primary completion within 43 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 22 and three quarters within 65. This study's planned 60 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 237 studies reached it within 43 months; a quarter within 22 and three quarters within 65.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
No contact was published for this record. The registry link below has the sponsor’s details.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder →