دانشگاه اصفهان پژوهش های علوم شناختی و رفتاری 2251-7642 16 1 2026 08 23 The Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in University Students اثربخشی تحریک الکتریکی فراجمجمه‌ای مغز بر علائم وسواس فکری عملی در دانشجویان 53 66 30319 10.22108/cbs.2026.144388.1991 FA غزال گودرزی کارشناس ارشد، روانشناسی عمومی، دانشکدۀ علوم اجتماعی، دانشگاه بینالمللی امام خمینی (ره)، قزوین، ایران اسماعیل شیری استادیار گروه روانشناسی، دانشکده علوم اجتماعی، دانشگاه بین المللی امام خمینی (ره)، قزوین،‌ ایران مصطفی ولی پور استادیار گروه روانشناسی، دانشکده علوم اجتماعی، دانشگاه بین المللی امام خمینی (ره)، قزوین،‌ ایران Journal Article 2025 03 07 This study investigated the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in alleviating obsessive–compulsive symptoms among university students. A single-group, quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and one-month follow-up assessments was employed. The study population comprised all undergraduate psychology students at Imam Khomeini International University (Qazvin) during the 2023–2024 academic year. Participants were screened using the Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS; 1989), and 10 eligible students were recruited via purposive sampling. The intervention consisted of 10 consecutive daily sessions of active tDCS (20 minutes each, 1 mA intensity), targeting the right temporo-parietal junction (P4). The Y-BOCS was administered at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. Results indicated that tDCS produced a statistically significant reduction in both obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors (p < 0.05). Post-hoc comparisons revealed significant improvements from baseline to post-test for both symptom dimensions, with follow-up results partially confirming the persistence of treatment effects. These findings suggest that tDCS may represent a promising non-invasive intervention for mitigating obsessive–compulsive symptoms in student populations. Nevertheless, the absence of a control group and the small sample size limit the generalizability of the results, and placebo effects or test–retest influences cannot be ruled out. Future research should employ randomized controlled designs with larger, more diverse samples to confirm these preliminary findings.<br /><strong>Introduction</strong><br />Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common and debilitating psychiatric disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts, images, or impulses and compulsive behaviors. Although the age of onset for this disorder varies, adolescence and early adulthood are considered high-risk periods. The prevalence of OCD among students is slightly higher than in the general population, reported to be around 4.2% to 5%. This disorder can lead to significant impairment in individuals’ social and occupational functioning. Neuroimaging studies indicate that OCD is associated with hyperactivity in the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuit, and abnormalities are observed in various brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex, cingulate gyrus, caudate nucleus, thalamus, cerebellum, and parietal cortex. Common treatments for this disorder include pharmacotherapy, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and psychotherapeutic interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy. In recent years, transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) has gained attention as a novel therapeutic approach. This method can effectively modulate neural activities by increasing cortical excitability in the anodal state and decreasing it in the cathodal state.<br /><strong>Method</strong><br />The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of transcranial electrical stimulation on the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder in students. This research was conducted using a quasi-experimental design with pretest/posttest/follow-up measurements. The statistical population included all psychology students at Imam Khomeini International University Qazvin, in the academic year 2023–2024. From this population, 10 individuals were selected using a purposeful sampling method after screening with the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Inclusion criteria included a score of 16 or higher on the Y-BOCS, no concurrent treatment for OCD, lack of chronic diseases or other psychiatric disorders, and providing informed consent. Exclusion criteria included starting any new treatment during the study and participants’ lack of cooperation at various stages of the study.<br />Participants received anodal transcranial electrical stimulation for 10 days, one 20-minute session daily, at an intensity of 1 mA. The stimulation area was determined based on previous research as the temporo-parietal junction (P4). Immediately after the sessions, a post-test was conducted, and a follow-up test was performed four weeks later. The research instrument was the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (1989). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and repeated measures analysis of variance.<br /><strong> </strong><br /><strong>Results</strong><br />The findings showed that transcranial electrical stimulation had a significant effect on reducing obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors (<em>p </em><0.05). Post-hoc test results also indicated a significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores in both components. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that transcranial electrical stimulation is an effective intervention in improving the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder in students, and can have a desirable therapeutic effect by modulating the neural circuits associated with this disorder.<br />Limitations of the study included the participants’ lack of cooperation in forming a control group, limited access to advanced brain stimulation devices approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the limited number of intervention sessions, lack of suitable space for conducting sessions, inability to combine complementary interventions such as cognitive rehabilitation, and the absence of necessary facilities for simultaneous brain mapping. هدف پژوهش حاضر بررسی اثر تحریک الکتریکی فراجمجمه­ای مغز بر علائم وسواس فکری عملی در دانشجویان بود. طرح پژوهش حاضر شبه‌آزمایشی با پیش­آزمون، پس­آزمون و دورۀ پیگیری بود. جامعۀ پژوهش شامل تمامی دانشجویان رشتۀ روان­شناسی دانشگاه بین­المللی امام خمینی (ره) قزوین در سال تحصیلی 1402-1403 بود که از میان آنها 10 نفر پس از غربال با مقیاس وسواس ییل براون به شیوۀ هدفمند به عنوان نمونۀ پژوهش انتخاب شدند. آزمودنی­ها به مدت ده روز، روزی یک مرتبه و به طول 20 دقیقه با شدت 1 میلی‌آمپر تحریک الکتریکی فراجمجمه­ای مغز دریافت کردند. ناحیۀ تحریک اتصال گیجگاهی آهیانه‌ای (P4) بود. بلافاصله پس از 10 جلسه پس‌آزمون گرفته شد و بعد از چهار هفته آزمون مجدداً به منظور پیگیری انجام شد. ابزار سنجش مقیاس وسواس ییل براون بود. داده­های پژوهش با استفاده از آزمون تحلیل واریانس با اندازه­گیری مکرر تجزیه‌وتحلیل شدند. یافته­ها نشان داد تحریک الکتریکی فراجمجمه­ای مغز بر افکار وسواسی و رفتارهای وسواسی اثربخشی معناداری دارد (05/0>P). نتایج آزمون­های تعقیبی نشان داد در هر دو مؤلفه بین پیش‌آزمون و پس‌آزمون تفاوت معنادار وجود دارد. با توجه به یافته­ها، می­توان نتیجه گرفت همچنین، تحریک الکتریکی فراجمجمه­ای مغز می­تواند بر بهبود علائم وسواس فکری عملی در دانشجویان مؤثر واقع شود.<br />  https://cbs.ui.ac.ir/article_30319_83a23a1c9b0dbe3fa5884353f03bb9ea.pdf