Research project Zero OCD – Getting rid of your obsessions with your own smartphone
ZeroOCD develops and evaluates an innovative smartphone app that uses augmented reality for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, in a collaboration between four European countries.
In a time when mental health issues are increasing across Europe and access to specialized care is limited, new innovative treatment methods are needed. ZeroOCD takes the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to the next level by combining augmented reality (AR) with principles from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in an easily accessible smartphone app.
Augmented reality allows us to create realistic exposure situations directly in the patient's own environment. Through the phone's camera, we can project virtual germs, dirt spots, or other triggering stimuli that the patient can then interact with under controlled conditions. This provides a unique opportunity to carry out exposure exercises that are both realistic and safe.
The project is an EU-funded collaboration between researchers in Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and builds on our successful research in digital psychological treatment that has been ongoing since 1999.
Project description
The ZeroOCD app offers a complete treatment where patients can undergo therapy in their home environment with limited but important support from a remote therapist. The treatment combines psychoeducation, exposure exercises with AR technology, and strategies for managing obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
To evaluate the effectiveness, we are conducting a randomized controlled trial comparing the ZeroOCD app (with three video sessions) with traditional CBT delivered via video meetings. Both treatments last for 10 weeks, and all participants are followed up immediately after treatment and six months later.
Our research questions include:
- Is treatment with AR as effective as traditional CBT in reducing OCD symptoms?
- How do patients experience treatment via AR compared to video sessions?
- What factors influence the use of the app and treatment outcomes?
- What barriers exist to implementing AR-based treatment in different European healthcare systems?
Beyond offering effective treatment for OCD, ZeroOCD can serve as a model for how AR technology can be used in the treatment of other mental health conditions in the future.
Opportunities for Students
We are looking for psychology students who want to work as student therapists in the study or write their thesis within the project, providing valuable clinical experience and supervision from experienced researchers and clinicians.
Interested? Contact project leader Per Carlbring (per.carlbring@psychology.su.se) for more information on how you can get involved in the project!
Project members
Project managers
Per Carlbring
Professor
Members
Jan Bergström
Assistant Professor
Tara Donker
Associate Professor
Jón Ingi Hlynsson
PhD Student
Tom Van Daele
Research coordinator