Understanding the temporal dynamics of compulsivity
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Pattern Wise: Understanding the temporal dynamics of compulsivity
IRAS ID
298958
Contact name
Claire Gillan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Trinity College Dublin
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 2 days
Research summary
This is an observational study investigating the temporal dynamics of compulsivity and associated thoughts, feelings and experiences. 100 individuals meeting criteria for obsessive compulsive disorder will be recruited and followed for 6 weeks via a smartphone app neureka. Participants will be identified though the Hertfordshire Partnership Family Trust (HPFT) clinic or via existing patient databases within the HPFT. Three-times daily, subjects will rate 11 symptoms associated with compulsivity in response to push notifications. Subjects will be instructed to complete 2 short gamified cognitive tests within the app after the call. These will take ~20 minutes to complete (10 mins each) and measure (i) metacognitive abilities (how good one is at reflecting on their own behavioural performance) and (ii) goal-directed decision making. Using these data, personalised “networks” will be constructed that show how thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and cognitive change in concert over time. Prior research has suggested that individuals with more densely connected symptom networks may experience more severe illness. We will test the extent to which different network structures signify differences in clinical severity. We will test if the target of a compulsion has bearing on the network structure by comparing networks of individuals with eating disorders vs OCD. Subjects will have access to a graph where they can review their behaviour and emotions over time. At study end, we will ask subjects to reflect on their experience and probe user experience.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/EE/0240
Date of REC Opinion
6 Dec 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion