OCD in NHS Talking Therapies: Core Belief Involved Protocol
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Core Belief Involved Protocol in NHS Talking Therapies: Helping Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
IRAS ID
341182
Contact name
Laura Laken
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Anglia Ruskin University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 30 days
Research summary
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in NHS Talking Therapies. Approximately 40% of the time this treatment does not work. There are many reasons for therapies to be unsuccessful, but in recent years researchers have looked at changing more deeply held negative beliefs about someone’s identity or self, to improve recovery.
I plan to test this well-researched, and proven practice, which is common in other treatments, to OCD. In OCD the focus of current therapies is to improve surface level thoughts – obsessions - in the here and now by getting patients to face their fears and learn fears are excessive. This means therapists don’t consistently explore with patients where that need for control, increased responsibility, self-doubt, or self-mistrust comes from. Research has shown that obsessions are no longer considered random intrusions but come from and are fuelled by a person’s negative self-beliefs.
The aim of this study is to explore if deliberately improving a person’s ability to know and trust themselves, and have a healthier self-belief, is feasible within the limits of Talking Therapies and improves OCD symptoms. This could improve treatment for up to 30,600 people annually.
This study is open to patients with obsessive-compulsive symptoms getting treatment from Talking Therapies.The participant phases run for 24-months in two phases:
Phase 1. Talking to people with experience of core belief involved treatment and staff with experience of treating OCD about how negative self-beliefs are currently managed and their support needs for changing them.
Phase 2. Using phase 1 findings co-create a therapy protocol. Train research facilitating therapists how to apply the protocol. Run a small test of indicative feasibility and efficacy of the therapy protocol within Talking Therapies.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/NW/0246
Date of REC Opinion
15 Aug 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion