The Role of Empathy in the Links Between Binge Eating Disorder and Interpersonal Difficulties (EMBED_OB)

Clinique de la Mitterie

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Obesity &Amp;Amp; Overweight

Treatments: Other: Binge Eating Scale; Other: Vicarious Distress Questionnaire; Other: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; Other: Interpersonal Reactivity Index; Other: Condensed and Revised Multifaceted Empathy Test

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07201662

2025-A00868-41 (Other Identifier)

MR-P0010

Details and patient eligibility

About

Obesity, recognized as a chronic disease by the WHO since 1998, affects 22.1% of adults in the Hauts-de-France region. Beyond the physiological aspects, it is associated with psychological difficulties, particularly eating disorders such as binge eating disorder (BED), as well as interpersonal difficulties related to empathy. Empathy, which consists of cognitive (decoding emotion) and affective (sharing emotion) dimensions, appears to be reduced in obese adults compared to adults of normal weight. However, existing research remains limited and heterogeneous. It is therefore essential to explore the links between obesity, cognitive and affective empathy in greater detail, taking into account the role of BED, in order to better understand their impact on interpersonal relationships.

Full description

Obesity has been recognized as a chronic disease by the World Health Organization since 1998. In the Hauts-de-France region, obesity affects 22.1% of adults.

Psychologically, it has been noted that obese individuals may experience intrapersonal difficulties (eating disorders such as binge eating disorder [BED], i.e., bulimia nervosa) and interpersonal difficulties, such as empathy disorders. Empathy is generally defined as a multidimensional concept, comprising two dimensions known as "cognitive" (decoding emotion) and "affective" (sharing emotion).

Empathic skills are significantly weaker in obese adults than in adults of normal weight. However, only ten studies were included in this research, and only two studies focused on affective empathy. In addition, the methodologies were highly heterogeneous (experimental tasks, self-assessment questionnaires). Therefore, the investigators believe it is essential to examine the links between obesity, cognitive empathy, and affective empathy in the adult population using a mixed methodology based on an experimental task and questionnaires. In addition, the investigators wish to examine the role of BED in explaining possible empathy disorders associated with obesity. Finally, the investigators wish to better understand the links between empathy difficulties and interpersonal difficulties.

Enrollment: 155 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age ≥ 18 years
• BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2
• French-speaking
• Enrolled in nutritional rehabilitation
• Written consent signed by the patient
• Affiliation with a social security system

Exclusion criteria

• Insufficient proficiency in the French language
• Minor patients, or patients under legal protection measures or deprived of liberty
• Lack of health insurance coverage
• Refusal to participate in the study
• Presence of neurological disorders
• Presence of cognitive disorders
• Presence of psychiatric disorders
• Presence of eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

155 participants in 1 patient group

Patient Nutritional Rehabilitation

Experimental group

Description:

Patients presenting for a "standard" stay, preparation for bariatric surgery, or post-surgical follow-up in the Nutritional Rehabilitation department

Treatment:

Other: Condensed and Revised Multifaceted Empathy Test

Other: Interpersonal Reactivity Index

Other: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

Other: Vicarious Distress Questionnaire

Other: Binge Eating Scale