--- title: Project PROVOC description: Project PROVOC is a research study investigating how the brains of people with OCD work by comparing them to the brains of people with either a specific phobia. image: https://www.butler.org/hubfs/-%20BUTLER/ButlerResearchStudy.jpg --- - [**Pay My Bill](https://www.carenewengland.org/pay/butler-hospital/) - [**Careers](https://www.butler.org/careers) - [**Donate](https://www.butler.org/ways-to-give) - [**My Chart](https://www.carenewengland.org/mychart) - [**+1 (844) 401-0111](tel:+1%20(844)%20401-0111) [![CNE Butler Behavioral Health](https://www.butler.org/hs-fs/hubfs/-%20CNE/CNE%20-%202026%20Branding/CNE%20Butler%20Behavioral%20Health.png?width=1200&height=475&name=CNE%20Butler%20Behavioral%20Health.png)](https://www.butler.org/) ** #### Site Search ** ** ![ # Project PROVOC #### Study Information: Project PROVOC is a research study investigating differences in brain circuitry between people with OCD and those with no history of psychiatric diagnosis. This research could lead to a better understanding of how OCD works in the brain and pave the way for new or improved OCD treatments. #### Eligibility Criteria: - Men and women aged 18-65 years. - Ability to travel to Butler Hospital for study visit(s). - Ability to attend virtual visits on the computer over the internet. - You fall into one of these groups: 1. You have OCD. 2. You have no history of being diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. #### Compensation/Reimbursement Participants will be compensated a total of $100 in gift cards for participation in the full study. #### **More Information/FAQ** *What will happen if I join the study?* First, you will attend two assessment visits. The first visit will be in-person or virtual, and the second will be virtual, about a week after the first visit. The day after your second visit, you will attend an in-person visit at Butler Hospital. During this visit, you will participate in a few tasks, including symptom provocation of OCD or general distress, while being monitored by our researchers and equipment. *How will my symptoms be provoked?* Symptoms of OCD or general distress will be provoked digitally (images displayed on a computer) and through gradual in-person exposure to distressing objects. The distressing images and objects will be discussed and selected by yourself and a clinician to tailor the experience to you without causing too much distress. You will have the opportunity to stop the procedure at any time. *How long will this take?* All participants will undergo two assessment visits and an in-person visit over the span of 1-2 weeks. The first assessment visit will take 3-4 hours at most, the second will take about 1 hour, and the in-person visit will take 4-5 hours at most. #### **Primary Principal Investigator** Nicole McLaughlin, PhD #### Contact Form **Organization** Butler Hospital **Area of Study** OCD **Status** Active ##### Contact Us [Send Us A Message](https://www.butler.org/contact-us) [+1 (844) 401-0111](tel:+18444010111) 345 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI 02906 - [**](https://www.facebook.com/ButlerHospital) - [**](https://twitter.com/ButlerHospital) - [**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/butler-hospital/) ##### Other Care New England Locations [Care New England](https://www.carenewengland.org/) [Kent Hospital](https://www.kentri.org/) [The Providence Center](https://providencecenter.org/) [VNA of Care New England](https://www.vnacarenewengland.org/) [Women & Infants Hospital](https://www.womenandinfants.org/) ##### Patients and Visitors [Find A Provider](https://www.butler.org/provider-finder) [Integra Community Care](https://www.integracare.org/) ##### About Us [Who We Are](https://www.butler.org/about) [Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)](https://www.carenewengland.org/dei) [Research](https://www.butler.org/research) [Legal Notices](https://www.carenewengland.org/legal-notices) [Auxiliary Aids & Services](https://www.carenewengland.org/auxiliary-aids-and-services) [Price Transparency](https://www.carenewengland.org/price-transparency) ##### Get Involved [Ways to Give](https://www.butler.org/ways-to-give) [Careers](https://www.carenewengland.org/careers) [Volunteer](https://www.carenewengland.org/volunteer) ##### News [In The News](https://www.butler.org/news) [Media Relations](https://www.butler.org/media-relations) --- Copyright © 2026 Care New England Health System × You are about to leave our website and enter an external site. We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or accuracy of information on the external site. Do you wish to continue? [Yes](https://www.butler.org/studies/project-provoc#yes)   [No](https://www.butler.org/studies/project-provoc#no)