A Novel Motivational Ecological Momentary Intervention for Anorexia Nervosa

Boston University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Eating Disorders

Treatments: Behavioral: Text-Message Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02076854

F31MH097308

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to pilot an innovative motivational text-message intervention for individuals with anorexia nervosa and subthreshold anorexia nervosa. Patients will receive personalized motivational text-messages as an adjunct to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT will be provided to patients at no cost for the duration of the study. The investigators hypothesize that the text-messages will help increase motivation to change and kilocalorie intake and decrease eating disordered behavior.

Enrollment: 12 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Anorexia nervosa/subthreshold anorexia nervosa (i.e., individuals who exhibit significant dietary restraint)
• 18+ years old

Exclusion criteria

• BMI < 16.5
• Medication instability for 6 weeks
• Recent/current suicidal risk
• Comorbid substance abuse or dependence, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or mental retardation
• Inability to provide release of information to a medical provider

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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12 participants in 2 patient groups

Text-Message Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will undergo four weeks (in a randomized order) of receiving personalized motivational text-messages while receiving CBT for their eating disorder.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Text-Message Intervention

No Text Message Phase

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants will receive 4 randomized weeks of not receiving text messages while receiving CBT for their eating disorder.