Clinical trial NCT03934697: Imaginal Exposure II Study: In-Vivo
Official title: In-Vivo Treatment for Imaginal Exposure Therapy
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Eating Disorder
Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa
Exposure
Keywords: Eating Disorder
Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa
Imaginal Exposure Therapy
Lead sponsor: University of Louisville
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2019-05-02
Enrollment: 43
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The purpose of this study is to test if imaginal exposure therapy can decrease symptoms of eating disorders and anxiety.

Detailed description: An initial meeting consisting of a screening, questionnaires, and a brief psychoeducation on imaginal exposure therapy, followed by 8-10 sessions with a licensed psychologist (the PI) or a clinical psychology graduate student who is supervised and trained by the PI. In Session 1, patients will create a script with the therapist on an eating disorder fear. In sessions 2-10 the therapist and patient will then imagine this eating disorder related fear based on the script. Each session will be modified to focus on "hot spots" or the most feared aspect of the script. Sessions will be audiotaped and videotaped and participants will be asked to listen to the sessions nightly for homework. Sessions will be weekly or twice per week for 8-10 weeks after the initial screening session.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Must be at least 18 years of age (no age limit)
* Must currently meet criteria for anorexia, sub-clinical anorexia, bulimia, or sub-clinical bulimia (using the eating disorder diagnostic scale), OR have met criteria for one of these eating disorders in the last year, OR endorse significant eating disorder fears
* Must have at least one significant eating disorder related fear.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Under 18 years of age
* Individuals who have binge eating disorder or an unspecified eating disorder, OR who do not meet eating disorder related criteria
* Individuals who meet criteria for mania, psychosis, or suicidal ideation
* Participants who are not able to secure transportation to complete therapy sessions

Primary outcomes:
measure: EDEQ (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire) at 1-10 Weeks and at 1 year
timeFrame: 1 year and 10 weeks
measure: SUDS (Subjective Units of Distress Scale) at 1-10 Weeks and at 1 year
timeFrame: 1 year and 10 weeks
measure: Body Mass Index (BMI) at 1-10 Weeks and at 1 year
timeFrame: 1 year and 10 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Louisville
country: United States
facility: Eating Anxiety Treatment Laboratory and Clinic
state: Kentucky
Study officials:
References:
citation: Levinson CA, Rapp J, Riley EN. Addressing the fear of fat: extending imaginal exposure therapy for anxiety disorders to anorexia nervosa. Eat Weight Disord. 2014 Dec;19(4):521-4. doi: 10.1007/s40519-014-0115-6. Epub 2014 Apr 2. No abstract available.
citation: Steinglass JE, Albano AM, Simpson HB, Wang Y, Zou J, Attia E, Walsh BT. Confronting fear using exposure and response prevention for anorexia nervosa: A randomized controlled pilot study. Int J Eat Disord. 2014 Mar;47(2):174-80. doi: 10.1002/eat.22214. Epub 2013 Nov 8.
citation: Steinglass JE, Sysko R, Glasofer D, Albano AM, Simpson HB, Walsh BT. Rationale for the application of exposure and response prevention to the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord. 2011 Mar;44(2):134-41. doi: 10.1002/eat.20784.