Current Events & Studies

As part of its Lecture Series, OCD Connecticut is excited to announce that Tom Smalley, a National OCD Advocate, will be their guest speaker at a virtual Zoom event on Wednesday, April 16th, at 7:30 p.m. He will discuss the topic of OCD in sports.

Tom is the founder of Struggle into Strength Performance, LLC. He is a certified mental performance consultant (CMPC) through the Association of Applied Sport Psychology. Tom received his Master of Science in exercise and sports science from Merrimack College and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Siena College.

Tom was diagnosed with OCD in 2014 at the age of 16 and, shortly after, became passionate about spreading awareness about what real OCD is. Tom was the recipient of the 2019 IOCDF Hero Award. He speaks at the annual International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) OCD conferences and schools around the Northeast. He has also appeared on a variety of blogs and podcasts.

In January 2021, Smalley became a Lead Advocate for the IOCDF and co-founded the Anxiety in Athletes initiative—a task force and online resource center with the help of the IOCDF in an effort to break the stigma around mental health in athletics.

Smalley has a strong passion for weightlifting and began competing in 2021, eight years after his mental health forced him to halt his athletic career. He is a USAW adaptive division 2x gold medalist.

Tom’s website is struggleintostrength.com.

To register for this event, click here.

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) can be profoundly isolating, impacting emotional well-being and daily functioning. Yet with appropriate support and treatment, people with BDD can thrive.

Join the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) and the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation on Saturday, May 31, 2025, for the second annual Online BDD Conference — a vital virtual event dedicated to understanding and treating BDD, a serious and often misunderstood OCD-related disorder.

This conference will provide participants with the latest research, strategies for effective treatment, and a supportive community for those affected by BDD.

Why Attend?

• Understand BDD on a deeper level with expert insights into the nature, causes, and impact of this disorder.
• Explore effective, evidence-based treatment options that can help individuals with BDD live more fulfilling, productive lives.
• Gain practical tools for managing symptoms such as mirror checking, reassurance-seeking, and compulsive grooming.
• Hear from those with lived experience who will share their recovery journeys and from families and mental health professionals who understand the challenges and needs of people with BDD.
• Connect with a vibrant, supportive community committed to breaking the stigma surrounding BDD and providing hope for those affected.

This is your opportunity to be part of a movement that’s improving lives, raising awareness, and supporting those affected by BDD. Reserve your spot today and take the first step toward hope and healing!

The Online BDD Conference will be held online via Zoom for Healthcare, so you can attend in the comfort of your own home!

Click here to go to the conference website.

Click here to download the conference flyer.

The Yale School of Medicine is conducting an OCD genetic study. The purpose of this study is to identify the genetic factors that cause OCD. This will greatly contribute to their understanding of OCD and may help develop new therapies in the future. This study requires participation from an individual with OCD and their biological parents, if possible. There is no age restriction to participate. The study can be done in-person or remotely, and participation will be compensated with a $100 Amazon gift card for a family or $30 for each individual. The Yale School of Medicine is not able to offer you a report of your genetic results because their studies are performed as research. Its research lab does not offer any treatment.

What do they need from you to participate?

1. Genetic Samples: They will obtain a blood sample and saliva sample for genetic analysis from the child and both parents. If a family member is unable to come to Yale University in person for a blood draw, they can send someone to your house to have this done at a convenient time for you.
2. Questionnaire: They will ask you to complete standardized questionnaires asking about how you and your child think, feel, and behave as well as questions about your medical and psychiatric history. These questionnaires can be completed from home, and they can assist with any questions or concerns.
3. Interview: Once you have completed the questionnaires and returned them to Yale, they will review them and set up a brief 15-20-minute phone call to review your responses.

The studies require participation from a child and both biological parents. Specifically, the Study Center is searching for families where the child (no age-restriction) is diagnosed with OCD/TS/Trichotillomania while the parents do not have the history. The studies can be done remotely and participation will be compensated with a $100 Amazon gift card for the family.

If you have further questions or are interested in participating in the study, please contact The Yale School of Medicine at findgenes@yale.edu, call them at (203)-677-0842, or click here to complete their study interest survey.

Click here to complete the referral form to participate in this class.

Click here to download the study's flyer.

Click here to go to the survey.

Click here to download the study's flyer.

Click here to download the study's information sheet.

Stanford Medicine is currently recruiting patients with OCD for a Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) clinical trial. DBS has provisional FDA approval for treating OCD under the Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) and has shown significant benefit for many patients, but 40-50% of patients who have gotten DBS for OCD do not respond to the treatment. The purpose of their trial is to use multiple temporary implantable electrodes to identify the optimal stimulation locations in the brain for each patient that most effectively relieve their OCD symptoms, and then implant a DBS device with permanent electrodes at the best stimulation sites. The hope is to use this research to personalize OCD DBS treatment more effectively to improve patient outcomes.

Because this is an invasive clinical trial, they are enrolling patients with markers of severe OCD with a high degree of treatment resistance. Participants will need to meet the following criteria:

• Between the ages of 22 and 75.
• Have had OCD for more than 5 years.
• OCD is their primary psychiatric diagnosis.
• No substance use disorder in the last 2 years.
• No lifetime history of bipolar disorder or a psychotic disorder.
• Severe OCD symptoms.
• Failure to respond to multiple trials of medications, including two SSRI trials at maximum FDA approved dose, a trial of clomipramine, and at least 1 trial of augmentation with an antipsychotic medication.
• Failure to respond to Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).
• No history of severe head trauma, implanted devices, or metal in the head.
• Does not plan to become pregnant in the next 3 years.

If you or someone you know would be a good candidate for this study, please reach out to Stanford Medicine at ocddbsstudy@stanford.edu.

Click here to download the survey's information sheet.

The Tomczak Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital's Department of Neurology is currently conducting a study where they are trying to characterize the gut microbiome in patients with Chronic Tic Disorders (CTD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Tic Associated OCD (TOCD) as compared to healthy controls and correlate variations in the gut microbiome with OCD and tic symptom severity. Currently, they are in the recruitment stage and are hoping that they may be able to connect for patient referrals for its study. There are eligibility requirements for the patients that they are recruiting such as:

Inclusion Criteria:

• Individuals who are age 6 to 17 with obsessive-compulsive disorder, chronic tic disorder, or are healthy controls without any neurological conditions.
• Parents or legal guardians willing to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals who do not speak English
• Patients with bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, substance use disorders, functional neurologic disorders, Autism spectrum disorder, moderate to severe depression not in remission within the past year, eating disorders, or are pregnant.
• Patients with a prior diagnosis of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections (PANDAS) or Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS).
• Patients with co-morbid GI conditions including obesity, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal migraines, gastrointestinal cancers, gastric emptying disorders, and peptic ulcer disease.
• Patients who have had medication changes in the 4 weeks prior to either stool collection time point.

If you are interested in participating in this study, call 617-919-9302 or email BCHTicsOCD@childrens.harvard.edu. Download a summary of the study's information.

Dr. Emily Ricketts, an investigator at the UCLA Child OCD Program, is conducting a survey on emotion regulation and health behaviors in children with OCD aged 10-17. The research study involves a 25-minute parent survey and a 20-minute child survey.

Download their IRB-approved study information sheet, as well as the flyer with a QR code. Upon scanning the QR code, interested participants will be prompted to input their name and email. After completing this form, you will receive a separate email with a personalized and secure link to the survey.

Upon successful completion of the survey and quality assurance checks, each participant will receive a $10 Amazon e-gift card.

Baylor College of Medicine is launching what it is hoping will be the largest, most nationally representative survey on OCD to date – the National OCD Survey. Its goal is to reach as many adults with OCD as possible in all 50 states so that it can better understand the impact of sociocultural and regional influences on OCD. This is an anonymous online survey (it should take approximately 10 minutes to complete). Click here to go to the survey.

The Yale Child Study Center is conducting ongoing research studies and is currently looking for participants for their three genetics studies: OCD Genetics, TIC Genetics, and Trichotillomania/BFRB Genetics.

The purpose of these studies is to identify the genetic factors that cause these disorders using a family-based approach. To date, the Study Center has discovered five genes and it believes there are about 300-400 more (news stories here and here). It hopes that these discoveries will lead to the development of new treatments to help alleviate the suffering, but it will need the participation of many families in order to make this happen.

The studies require participation from a child and both biological parents. Specifically, the Study Center is searching for families where the child (no age-restriction) is diagnosed with OCD/TS/Trichotillomania while the parents do not have the history. The studies can be done remotely and participation will be compensated with a $100 Amazon gift card for the family.

For more information and how to participate in these studies, click on a link listed below to download a PDF document regarding the particular study you are interested in:

• OCD Genetics Study
• TIC Genetics: Tourette International Collaborative Genetics Study
• Trichotillomania and Other BFRBs Sequencing Study

You can also email Ana Bok, Postgraduate Research Associate at Yale School of Medicine, Yale Child Study Center at findgenes@yale.edu.

Researchers in the Department of Psychiatry at University of California, Los Angeles are conducting a 45-minute survey examining emotion regulation, health, and development in children with OCD ages 10-17 years. We are recruiting children between the ages of 10 and 17 who have a diagnosis of OCD and their parents/caregivers to participate in the survey.

Participation will last approximately 45 minutes (25 minutes for parent questionnaires and 20 minutes for child questionnaires) and will involve questions about your child and families' demographic and medical/psychiatric history, followed by questions regarding your child’s obsessive-compulsive symptom severity, associated impairment, family accommodation, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, sleep-wake profiles (i.e., chronotype), sleep disturbance, and sleep patterns. You will then be prompted to ask your child to complete the remaining portion of the survey in private, unless assistance is needed. Children will answer questions regarding their OCD symptoms, associated impairment, sleep-wake profiles (i.e., chronotype), sleep disturbance, sleep patterns, externalizing and internalizing symptoms, and emotion regulation.

You will have a 1 in 20 chance of receiving a $25 Amazon e-gift card for participating in the survey. Upon survey completion, your child will be redirected to a separate survey link that is not connected to survey answers, where they will be prompted to enter your email address.

You do not need to complete the survey in order to enter the lottery.

Visit the following link to read more information about the survey and participate: https://uclahs.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bEhl97GxW94xQXk

Please contact Valerie Swisher at VSwisher@mednet.ucla.edu for more information

Check out IOCDF'S upcoming in-person and virtual events for all members of the OCD community.

Learn more about IOCDF events, including:

• In-person & Virtual Conferences
• Virtual Livestream Programming
• 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk
• Trainings for Mental Health Professionals

The Massachusetts General Hospital is currently recruiting for a new research study that will use a MR-PET scanner to examine the brains of adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or Tourette Syndrome. The study will include two visits at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging. Participants will be compensated up to $200 for their time.

Participants must be:
- Between the ages of 18 and 40 years old
- Diagnosed with either OCD or TS

For more information, please contact Hooker Research Group staff at

617-643-7811
OR
imagingstudy@mgh.harvard.edu

Download a flyer with more information

Researchers at Suffolk University and the New England Center for OCD and Anxiety are seeking youth participants (13-17 years old) and their parents to participate in a study that aims to assess how cognitive processes, particularly executive functioning, relate to treatment engagement in youth with OCD.

They are looking to recruit youth participants, 13-17 years old, who have tried at least two sessions of therapy for OCD. The study can be completed entirely online and will take participants approximately 35 minutes to complete. For their time, youth participants will receive a self-help book for teens with OCD and a chance to win one of two $100 Visa gift cards in a raffle at the end of the recruitment period as compensation.

If you are interested or have questions call, text, or email the study team:

Katrina Daigle, MA, MS
Study Co-Investigator
kdaigle@suffolk.edu
617-394-8876

Download a flyer containing more information.

Dartmouth College is conducting an online anonymous survey in order to help them better understand the impact of OCD and various treatments on agency, or the ability for an individual to think, choose, and act freely.

The purpose of this study is to more deeply understand agency. The goal is to characterize the effects of different neuropsychiatric conditions on individuals’ agency so they can help patients make more informed decisions about treatments.

Your responses will help them to create a test that can be used to track how patients' agency changes (either improves or gets worse) and how it is affected by different treatment options.

Who can participate?
Individuals 18 or older, with no history of dementia, recent diagnosis of a reading disability, at least an 8th grade English reading level, and no intellectual disability.

What will be asked of you?
You will fill out an online survey with approximately 170-200 questions, it will take about 35-45 minutes

To thank you for your time, you will have the option to be entered into a monthly raffle for a $150 Amazon gift card.

If you would like to participate:

1.  Send an email to Ashley Walton at: AgencyLabProject1@dartmouth.edu.
2.  You will receive a reply email that includes the link to the online survey.

*The information collected will be maintained anonymously, and cannot be linked back to you.

Download a flyer with all the information.

The link to the survey is:
https://dartmouth.co1.qualtrics.com/
jfe/form/SV_5o6JEnCiAj3xtZk.

Researchers at Kent State University have a new study aiming to better understand factors that influence an individual’s susceptibility to OCD. OCD is a complex disorder with many underlying causes and risk factors, and these factors might be accentuated during the current global pandemic (COVID-19). With your help, they hope to develop a better understanding of these causes and risk factors and how they manifest during stressful times to improve available treatments to better help others in the future. The study consists of a 25-minute online survey that asks about emotional experiences, common types of recurring thoughts/obsessions, and experiences in romantic relationships. This study has been approved by Kent State University's Institutional Review Board.

If you are interested in participating:
Please visit Kent State's webpage at https://www.clinicalaffectivesciencelab.com/participate to find the link to the study survey under Emotion and Cognition in OCD. You can also download a flyer containing information about the study.

Baylor College of Medicine is currently recruiting participants with any form of anxiety or OCD for a study characterizing anxiety relative to misophonia in children and adolescents. Anxious kids must be 8-17 years old, fluent in English, and have a parent/guardian willing to participate with them.

All procedures are being conducted remotely, and the duration of participation is several hours over 2 assessments. Participation includes a clinical interview over Zoom, and bio-behavioral tasks done online. Patients will be compensated up to $120.

For more information, please contact Jane Clinger at email misophonia@bcm.edu or call 713-798-1916. Download a flyer regarding the study.

Is there a connection between movement and compulsive disorders and neuroinflammation in the brain?

The Massachusetts General Hospital is currently recruiting for a new research study that will use a MR-PET scanner to examine the brains of adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or Tourette Syndrome. The study will include two visits at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging in Boston, MA. Participants will be compensated up to $200 for their time.

Participants must be:
- Between the ages of 18 and 40 years old
- Diagnosed with either OCD or TS

For more information, please contact Hooker Research Group staff at:
617-643-7811
OR
imagingstudy@mgh.harvard.edu

Disclaimer: Fairfield County OCD Support Group is not affiliated with nor endorsing this project.

Was your family impacted by the coronavirus? Are you or your child struggling with anxiety or depression about the coronavirus or social distancing? Help Case Western Reserve University researchers learn more about the impact of the coronavirus on children, parents, and families. If you have a child ages 7-17 and have been impacted by the coronavirus, please fill out its online questionnaires! They hope to use this research study to learn more about how families have been impacted by recent events related to the coronavirus. If you complete the surveys, you will be entered into a raffle to win one of four $25 gift cards. You can participate by going to https://cwru.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8678F95dgxjCcm1.

Bio Behavioral Institute is taking part in a research study for an investigational medication that would be added to your current treatment for OCD. There hasn't been any new medications developed for OCD since 1997. By participating you can help the institute find better treatment options for the millions of people like you, living with OCD.

You may be eligible to participate if:

• You are between 18-65 years old.
• Have been diagnosed with or may have OCD.
• You are currrently taking a medication for OCD.

For more information contact the institute at 516-487-7116

Bio Behavioral Institute
935 Northern Blvd., Suite 102
Great Neck, NY 11021

Download a flyer containing all information.

The purpose of research is to inform action. To move into a brighter and better informed future. At the TLC Foundation, research is one of its most important tools for building knowledge and facilitating learning, plus it also gives it and all of you means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities that help support recovery and find a cure for Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior (BFRB). BFRB is a general term for a group of related disorders that includes hair pulling, skin picking, and nail-biting.

You can be an important part of advancing the knowledge of body-focused repetitive behaviors by participating in a research study. Click here for more information.

The UC San Diego School of Medicine OCD Research Program is investigating different treatment approaches for individuals with OCD and they are interested in your opinion regarding treatment preferences and effectiveness! This online survey will only take 25 minutes to complete and will be helpful for future treatment development.

You are eligible if you are age 18-75, have OCD, and are fluent in the English language.

Link to the study: alliant.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aay03Hys2dN94Rn.
Find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ucsdocd.researchprogram.
Click here to download a flyer containing more details regarding the study.

SUNY Downstate Medical Center's Department of Psychiatry in Brooklyn, NY is conducting a research study sponsored by the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health). Research has shown that genes can make some people more likely than others to develop OCD and related disorders. The goal of this study is to identify these genes.

ELIGIBILITY:

• 7 years of age old or older.
• Have symptoms or a diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Related Disorders (Hoarding Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Hair Pulling Disorder/Trichotillomania, and Skin Picking Disorder/Excoriation Disorder).

STUDY PROCEDURES:

• Complete a screening questionnaire on personal and family health history.
• Be interviewed by a clinician about your symptoms.
• Give a small blood sample (about 3 tablespoons).
• Be compensated for your time and effort.

If you are interested in learning more about this study, please contact SUNY Downstate Medical Center at:
Email: InstituteforGenomicHealth@downstate.edu
Phone: 718-270-8254
All inquiries are confidential

Download a flyer containing all information.

At our May 2018 group meeting, we were honored to have Christopher Pittenger, MD, PhD speak to our group. He is the director of the Yale OCD Research Clinic, based at CMHC (The Connecticut Mental Health Center) in New Haven, CT.

Dr. Pittenger explained that the clinic currently has a range of studies running, running the gamut from cognitive testing to neuroimaging to pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment studies.

He especially highlighted a new treatment study currently being conducted for adults with refractory OCD. The clinic has been studying the FDA-approved drug riluzole for refractory OCD for over a decade. It is now partnering with a local pharmaceutical startup, BioHaven (led by Yale’s own Vlad Coric), to test the efficacy of a riluzole prodrug (trigriluzole) that has better pharmacokinetics and tolerability than riluzole itself.

Patients for this study must have a diagnosis of OCD that is their primary psychiatric problem and must be stably medicated on an SSRI or clomipramine. Certain other antidepressants are permitted, as is stable (but not new) therapy and low-dose benzodiazepine use. The study consists of a placebo-controlled, blinded 12-week treatment phase, followed by an optional 48-week open-label continuation phase.

There are several features of this study that may make it more attractive to patients than a typical industry-sponsored drug study. First, trigriluzole is converted into riluzole in the body, and we know a great deal about riluzole’s tolerability. The clinic also believes, based on its published research, that riluzole helps some individuals with refractory OCD. So the new drug, trigriluzole, is much less of an unknown than many novel drugs in pharmaceutical studies. Second, because of the open-label follow-up phase, everyone who enters the study has an opportunity to try the new drug. Third, since the drug’s mechanism is the same as that of riluzole, patients who get some clinical benefit during the trial can continue treatment (with rilzuole) without interruption, even if there is a delay in getting the new drug approved by the FDA.

Interested patients who would like to participate in this exciting trial can contact Dr. Pittenger by email at christopher.pittenger@yale.edu.

Since 1949, Mental Health America and its affiliates across the country have led the observance of May is Mental Health Month by reaching millions of people through the media, local events and screenings. They welcome other organizations to join them in spreading the word that mental health is something everyone should care about by using the May is Mental Health Month toolkit materials and conducting awareness activities.

For more information, click here.

Are you interested in trying to control your own brain patterns while participating in cutting- edge research? Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to produce real-time reports of brain activity, this Yale research study for adults can help train you to regulate an area of your brain relevant to OCD while also offering compensation of up to $460! For more information on this study, please visit http://ocd.yale.edu/patients/treatment.aspx or contact us by email at OCDnfResearch@yale.edu; by phone at (203) 737-6055.

Do you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)? Are you in a romantic relationship? AND/OR Do you have a child aged 6-17?

If this is the case, you may be eligible to participate in a study exploring familial relationships in adults with OCD. As a result of the study, we hope to better understand the impacts of OCD on family life, and to shed light on specific familial issues relative to OCD.

Participation in the study includes a 15- to 30- minute interview, which may be conducted in person or through Skype. You will also be asked to complete a series of online questionnaires about your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and your romantic and/or parent-child relationships. The whole procedure should take between 35 and 90 minutes.

To be eligible for this study, you must be 18 or over, have a primary diagnosis of OCD, and either (a) be in a romantic relationship or have been in a relationship in the last six months, (b) have at least one child aged between 6 and 17 years old with whom you have regular contact, or (c) both.

This study is being conducted by Dr. Eric Storch, Ph.D. at the Rothman Center for Pediatric Neuropsychiatry, USF (University of South Florida) For further information please contact the study coordinator, Dr. Valerie L.B. Ariza at valerielabui@health.usf.edu or (727) 898-7451.

The Anxiety & Phobia Treatment Center at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, NY plans to offer a six-week workshop for people suffering with OCD. According to the National Institute for Health, approximately 2.2 million adult Americans have some form of OCD. Their approach will be a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy one that includes exposure experiences and ritual prevention. The workshop will consist of weekly group sessions and individual sessions with one of their anxiety specialists. Go to their website for more information.

The Intensive Program for OCD at Bradley Hospital in East Providence, RI provides treatment to children and adolescents, ages 5 to 18, who experience significant impairment in their daily lives due to OCD and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. The program is one of many renowned programs and services that bring families from across the country to Bradley Hospital, the nation's first psychiatric hospital devoted exclusively to children and adolescents. For more information, you can contact Amy Cousineau, LICSW (Clinical Social Worker) at 401-432-1516 or ACousineau@lifespan.org.

Researchers at Butler Hospital and Alpert Medical School of Brown University are seeking adults (18 or older) to participate in an online study evaluating a mobile smartphone app as a self-help treatment for OCD. Each participant will receive free access to the mobile app and be asked to complete four online surveys over 12 weeks. If you are interested in learning more or to find out if you are eligible, call 401-455-6541. Download a flyer containing all the information.

The TLC Foundation is currently seeking volunteers to participate in research studies regarding BFRBs, or Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, that include trichotillomania, skin picking disorder, chronic nail biting, cheek biting and similar behaviors. By participating in BFRB research, you will help researchers develop better ways to diagnose and treat BFRB disorders. There are several internet-based surveys and regional participation opportunities that need your help! Go to TLC’s website for full details.