Text Message Safety Behavior Fading for Appearance Concerns

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The current study aims to explore the efficacy of a text message based safety behavior fadinig intervention compared to an unhealthy behavior fading intervention for appearance concerns.

Detailed Description
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Description: Appearance-related safety behavior fading intervention procedures will follow methodology previously used in the Cougle Lab. The safety behavior fading intervention is designed to target a decrease or elimination of appearance-related safety behaviors. Individuals randomly assigned to the safety behavior fading condition will receive instructions to decrease or eliminate their endorsed appearance-related safety behaviors. In addition, they will receive daily reminders via text message to decrease these behaviors, along with a safety behavior monitoring checklist in which the participant indicates the extent to which they decreased and/or eliminated each safety behavior over the previous day. Individuals randomly assigned to the unhealthy behavior fading condition will receive instructions to decrease or eliminate unhealthy behaviors. They will also receive daily reminders via text message to decrease these behaviors, along with a safety behavior monitoring checklist in which the participant indicates the extent to which they decreased and/or eliminated each safety behavior over the previous day.

Official Title
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Safety Behavior Fading Versus Unhealthy Behavior Fading for Appearance Concerns: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Conditions
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Body Dysmorphic Disorders, Social Anxiety Disorder, Eating Disorders

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Safety Behavior Fading for Appearance Concerns
* Behavioral: Unhealthy Behavior Fading


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: elevated appearance concerns as defined by a score of 53 or higher on the SAAS Being female Exclusion Criteria: being male Score of 52 or lower on the SAAS Currently receiving treatment (therapy, counseling, etc.) for anxiety, depression, eating disorder, or body image/appearance concerns If applicable, unstable psychiatric medication usage any time over the past 4 weeks

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Participants are randomized to one of two conditions
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Safety Behavior Fading<br>Individuals randomly assigned to the safety behavior fading condition will receive instructions to decrease or eliminate their endorsed appearance-related safety behaviors. In addition, they will receive daily reminders via text message to decrease these behaviors, along with a safety behavior monitoring checklist in which the participant indicates the extent to which they decreased and/or eliminated each safety behavior over the previous day. | Behavioral: Safety Behavior Fading for Appearance Concerns<br>* Participants are asked to reduce or eliminate safety behaviors via text message reminders and checklists to monitor progress.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Unhealthy Behavior Fading<br>Individuals randomly assigned to the unhealthy behavior fading condition will receive instructions to decrease or eliminate unhealthy behaviors that are unrelated to appearance. They will also receive daily reminders via text message to decrease these behaviors, along with a behavior monitoring checklist in which the participant indicates the extent to which they decreased and/or eliminated each behavior over the previous day. | Behavioral: Unhealthy Behavior Fading<br>* Participants are asked to reduce or eliminate unhealthy behaviors via text message reminders and checklists to monitor progress.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Social Appearance Anxiety Scale | Self-report scale that measures appearance anxiety symptoms. Scores range from 16 to 80 with higher scores indicating higher levels of appearance concerns. | Day 0, Day 28, Day 56 | 
| Change in Eating Disorder-15 | Self-report scale that measures eating disorder symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 90 with higher scores indicating higher levels of eating pathology. | Day 0, Day 28, Day 56 | 
| Change in Social Phobia Inventory | Self-report scale that measures social anxiety symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 68 with higher scores indicating higher levels of social anxiety. | Day 0, Day 28, Day 56 | 
| Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire | Self-report scale for measuring treatment expectancy and rationale credibility for use in clinical outcome studies. | Day 0 | 
| Change in Appearance Behaviors Checklist | Self-report scale used to measure frequency of engaging in appearance related safety behaviors. This scale will be used as a manipulation check. | Day 0, Day 28, Day 56 | 
| Change in Unhealthy Behaviors Checklist | Self-report scale used to measure frequency of engaging in unhealthy behaviors. This scale will be used as a manipulation check. | Day 0, Day 28, Day 56 | 
| Beliefs About Appearance Scale | Self-report scale for measuring appearance importance for use in clinical outcome studies. | Day 0, Day 28, Day 56 | 
| UCLA Loneliness Scale-8 | Self-report scale for measuring loneliness for use in clinical outcome studies. | Day 0, Day 28, Day 56 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale | Self-report measure of depression symptom severity. | Day 0, Day 28, Day 56 | 
| Assessment of ideal self | Self-report measure of appearance importance where individuals must allocate a budget of 100 to 7 different ideals including appearance, creativity, friendliness, work ethic, intelligence, humor, and income. | Day 0, Day 28, Day 56 | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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safety behaviors, intervention, text message, appearance concerns