Social Therapy for Eating Disorders

(SF Trial)

Overseen By Ava Ryan

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Disqualifiers: Inpatient treatment, Medical instability, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 13

Duration: 12 weeks

60 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Social Therapeutic Interventions for eating disorders?

A study found that providing feedback interventions to therapists in an eating disorder treatment program led to more patients experiencing significant improvements compared to standard treatment, suggesting that supportive and interactive therapeutic approaches can enhance treatment outcomes. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is Social Therapy for Eating Disorders safe for humans?

The research does not provide specific safety data for Social Therapy for Eating Disorders, but concerns about negative effects from psychoeducational material in eating disorder prevention programs were not supported by the data. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How is Social Therapeutic Interventions treatment different from other treatments for eating disorders?

Social Therapeutic Interventions for eating disorders focus on improving social interactions and support, which are often problematic in these conditions. This approach is unique because it uses group therapy to create a learning environment where patients can practice and understand social interactions, unlike traditional treatments that may not emphasize social cognition. ^{7 11 12 13 14}

What is the purpose of this trial?

Social processing and cognition are often altered in patients with eating disorders. The goal of this clinical trial is to assess two different social therapeutic interventions -- one educational, one interactive -- for their effectiveness in improving clinical outcomes in patients with eating disorders. Patients in both interventions will receive education about social function in eating disorders, but those in the interactive treatment group will complete an additional collaborative art task. Participants will: * attend a baseline study visit to complete clinical interviews, cognitive testing, and behavioral tasks * complete a pre-intervention assessment with questionnaires * attend eight sessions of their assigned treatment group over the course of 12 weeks * complete three virtual follow-up assessments 4, 8, and 12 months from their baseline * attend a final study visit to repeat some clinical interviews, cognitive testing, and behavioral tasks Researchers will compare changes in eating disorder, mood, and anxiety symptoms as well as test results from baseline and final study visits for each group to see if * patients can be treated effectively with education alone or if an interactive group component produces additional benefits * cognitive and behavioral task performance are associated with recovery or illness state.

Research Team

Carrie J McAdams, MD PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for individuals who have been diagnosed with eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Atypical Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Purging Disorder, or subthreshold Bulimia within the last year. It's not suitable for those who don't meet these specific criteria.

Inclusion Criteria

I have been diagnosed with an eating disorder like Anorexia or Bulimia in the last year.

Exclusion Criteria

Medical instability or safety/suicide risk as determined by the PI

I am currently staying in a hospital or treatment center.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Assessment

Participants attend a baseline study visit to complete clinical interviews, cognitive testing, and behavioral tasks

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Pre-intervention Assessment

Participants complete a pre-intervention assessment with questionnaires

1 day

Virtual

Treatment

Participants attend eight sessions of their assigned treatment group over the course of 12 weeks

12 weeks

8 sessions (in-person or virtual depending on group)

Follow-up

Participants complete three virtual follow-up assessments 4, 8, and 12 months from their baseline

12 months

3 visits (virtual)

Final Study Visit

Participants attend a final study visit to repeat some clinical interviews, cognitive testing, and behavioral tasks

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Social Therapeutic Interventions

Trial Overview The study is testing two types of social therapeutic interventions to see which helps more with eating disorders. One group will receive educational sessions about social functions in eating disorders while another will also participate in a collaborative art task.

Participant Groups

Group I: Interactive Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group II: Educational Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,102

Recruited

1,077,000+

Findings from Research

The Psychological Outcome Profiles (PSYCHLOPS) is a validated individualized patient-reported outcome measure that effectively captures unique concerns of patients with eating disorders, showing adequate to good psychometric properties in a study of 278 emerging adults over 12 months.

More than half of the participants (53.3%) reported concerns not covered by standard eating disorder measures, such as depression, anxiety, and academic issues, highlighting the importance of personalized assessments in treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exploring the use of individualised patient-reported outcome measures in eating disorders: Validation of the Psychological Outcome Profiles. Austin, A., Potterton, R., Flynn, M., et al.[2021]

A single-day workshop involving 169 adult outpatients with eating disorders significantly increased their motivation to engage in care, with many patients moving from contemplation to action regarding their treatment (p < 0.001).

The improvement in motivation was closely linked to enhanced insight into their condition, indicating that experiential exposure to various psychotherapeutic approaches can effectively support patients in recognizing their need for treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Experiencing eight psychotherapy approaches devoted to eating disorders in a single-day workshop increases insight and motivation to engage in care: a pilot study. Scanferla, E., Pachoud, B., Gorwood, P.[2022]

In a randomized clinical trial with 133 females suffering from eating disorders, those receiving feedback interventions (Fb) showed a higher rate of clinically significant improvement (52.95%) compared to those receiving treatment-as-usual (TAU) (28.6%).

Patients in the Fb condition also demonstrated larger improvements in mental health functioning, although the effect size was smaller than in previous studies, indicating that feedback can be beneficial in inpatient settings for eating-disordered patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of providing patient progress feedback and clinical support tools to psychotherapists in an inpatient eating disorders treatment program: a randomized controlled study. Simon, W., Lambert, MJ., Busath, G., et al.[2015]

In a study of 210 patients in an intensive outpatient program for eating disorders, rapid response (RR) was identified as the strongest predictor of improvement in eating disorder symptoms, accounting for 45.6% of the variance in outcomes post-treatment.

Baseline eating disorder pathology was the most significant predictor of overall functioning at the end of treatment, explaining 15.89% of the variance, highlighting the importance of initial symptom severity in treatment outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Rapid response is predictive of treatment outcomes in a transdiagnostic intensive outpatient eating disorder sample: a replication of prior research in a real-world setting. Walker, DC., Donahue, JM., Heiss, S., et al.[2022]

In a study of 1153 patients with various eating disorders, high levels of interpersonal distrust at the start of treatment were linked to a lower likelihood of achieving significant improvements in eating disorder symptoms.

Conversely, patients who had higher self-esteem and lower body dissatisfaction at baseline were more likely to experience a substantial reduction in symptoms, suggesting that addressing these psychological factors could enhance treatment outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Predictors of psychological outcome in patients with eating disorders: A routine outcome monitoring study. Dingemans, AE., van Son, GE., Aardoom, JJ., et al.[2019]

Eating disorder prevention programs can significantly improve knowledge about eating disorders and have a small but positive impact on reducing unhealthy eating attitudes and behaviors, according to a meta-analysis of various studies.

Programs aimed at individuals at higher risk for developing eating disorders showed greater effectiveness, and concerns about negative side effects from psychoeducational content were not supported by the data, suggesting these programs can be beneficial.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Eating disorder prevention research: a meta-analysis. Cororve Fingeret, M., Warren, CS., Cepeda-Benito, A., et al.[2022]

Single-session interventions (SSIs) are proposed as a promising solution to bridge the treatment gap for eating disorders, potentially helping individuals access care more easily and effectively with just one encounter.

Research suggests that SSIs may effectively reduce symptoms and risk factors associated with eating disorders, such as restrictive eating and negative body image, highlighting their potential as both standalone and adjunctive treatments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Realizing the untapped promise of single-session interventions for eating disorders. Schleider, JL., Smith, AC., Ahuvia, I.[2023]

Implementing cognitive behavioral therapy-enhanced (CBT-E) in a Dutch treatment center for eating disorders resulted in similar clinical outcomes compared to traditional treatment-as-usual (TAU), but with significantly lower treatment costs and shorter duration.

The study found a 71% likelihood that CBT-E is more cost-effective than TAU, indicating that evidence-based treatments can provide similar benefits while being more efficient in terms of resources.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Implementing cognitive behavioral therapy-enhanced in a routine inpatient and outpatient setting: Comparing effectiveness and treatment costs in two consecutive cohorts. van den Berg, E., Schlochtermeier, D., Koenders, J., et al.[2020]

Recent evidence supports the effectiveness of family-based treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) as a first-line therapy for bulimia nervosa (BN), based on a review of 36 new randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

While the risk of bias was low to moderate in most studies, further research is needed to explore the best treatment approaches for binge eating disorder (BED) and obesity, particularly through noninferiority trials of active therapies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A systematic review of evidence for psychological treatments in eating disorders: 2005-2012. Hay, P.[2022]

A study involving 113 clinicians revealed that they have significant concerns about delivering certain elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for eating disorders, particularly regarding body image work and ending treatment.

Clinicians' experience levels influenced their concerns, with older and more experienced therapists feeling less anxious about delivering CBT techniques, while those with higher anxiety about uncertainty were more worried about specific aspects of the therapy, suggesting a need for targeted training in managing these anxieties.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinicians' concerns about delivering cognitive-behavioural therapy for eating disorders. Turner, H., Tatham, M., Lant, M., et al.[2022]

Group psychotherapy is significantly more effective than wait-list controls for adults with eating disorders, showing higher rates of abstinence from binge eating and purging, and reducing related psychological symptoms, based on a meta-analysis of 27 randomized controlled trials with 1,853 participants.

The effectiveness of group psychotherapy is comparable to other active treatments, such as individual psychotherapy and behavioral weight loss, suggesting it is a viable and potentially more cost-effective option for treating eating disorders.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Group psychotherapy for eating disorders: A meta-analysis. Grenon, R., Schwartze, D., Hammond, N., et al.[2022]

Out of 573 clinicians screened in Alberta, only 130 (22.7%) treated eating disorders, and among those, 118 were interviewed, revealing a diverse range of psychological interventions used.

The most common approach was eclectic therapy (43.2%), with cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) being used by 22.9% of clinicians, but many self-reported CBT practitioners did not frequently apply specific CBT techniques, indicating a gap between practice and evidence-based guidelines.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Psychotherapies provided for eating disorders by community clinicians: infrequent use of evidence-based treatment. von Ranson, KM., Wallace, LM., Stevenson, A.[2018]

The Self-Blame and Perspective-Taking Intervention (SBPI) is a 4-week group therapy program that combines art therapy and psychoeducation, which helped participants develop self-acceptance and improve their social interactions related to eating disorders.

Participants reported positive experiences and valued the combination of psychosocial education and group activities, suggesting that addressing mental wellness aspects can be beneficial in treating eating disorders by helping patients separate their identity from the illness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Qualitative patient experiences from the Self-Blame and Perspective-Taking Intervention for eating disorders. Hagan, WS., Mericle, S., Hunt, BJ., et al.[2021]

A ten-session cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT-T) for transdiagnostic eating disorders showed significant improvements in eating disorder cognitions, behaviors, quality of life, and negative affect among 52 patients treated by trainee psychologists, with medium to large effect sizes observed from baseline to post-treatment and at follow-ups.

The study indicates that CBT-T can effectively address barriers to treatment, such as cost and access, with a comparable attrition rate of 38.5% to other treatment studies, suggesting it is a viable option for patients with eating disorders.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A pragmatic effectiveness study of 10-session cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT-T) for eating disorders: Targeting barriers to treatment provision. Pellizzer, ML., Waller, G., Wade, TD.[2020]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exploring the use of individualised patient-reported outcome measures in eating disorders: Validation of the Psychological Outcome Profiles. [2021]

2. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Experiencing eight psychotherapy approaches devoted to eating disorders in a single-day workshop increases insight and motivation to engage in care: a pilot study. [2022]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of providing patient progress feedback and clinical support tools to psychotherapists in an inpatient eating disorders treatment program: a randomized controlled study. [2015]

4. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Rapid response is predictive of treatment outcomes in a transdiagnostic intensive outpatient eating disorder sample: a replication of prior research in a real-world setting. [2022]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Predictors of psychological outcome in patients with eating disorders: A routine outcome monitoring study. [2019]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Eating disorder prevention research: a meta-analysis. [2022]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Realizing the untapped promise of single-session interventions for eating disorders. [2023]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Implementing cognitive behavioral therapy-enhanced in a routine inpatient and outpatient setting: Comparing effectiveness and treatment costs in two consecutive cohorts. [2020]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A systematic review of evidence for psychological treatments in eating disorders: 2005-2012. [2022]

10. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinicians' concerns about delivering cognitive-behavioural therapy for eating disorders. [2022]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Group psychotherapy for eating disorders: A meta-analysis. [2022]

12. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Psychotherapies provided for eating disorders by community clinicians: infrequent use of evidence-based treatment. [2018]

13. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Qualitative patient experiences from the Self-Blame and Perspective-Taking Intervention for eating disorders. [2021]

14. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A pragmatic effectiveness study of 10-session cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT-T) for eating disorders: Targeting barriers to treatment provision. [2020]