Exposure Therapy Study In Adults With Eating Disorders

Description

The current proposal will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of Exposure Therapy for anorexia nervosa (AN) spectrum disorders (Exp-AN), an innovative treatment rooted in principles of inhibitory learning. Exp-AN will target anxiety about both eating and weight gain by combining in vivo (i.e., in real life) and imaginal (i.e., mental) exposure in novel ways (e.g., eating a feared food while listening to a recording describing fears about weight gain).

Conditions

Eating Disorders, Anorexia Nervosa

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

The current proposal will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of Exposure Therapy for anorexia nervosa (AN) spectrum disorders (Exp-AN), an innovative treatment rooted in principles of inhibitory learning. Exp-AN will target anxiety about both eating and weight gain by combining in vivo (i.e., in real life) and imaginal (i.e., mental) exposure in novel ways (e.g., eating a feared food while listening to a recording describing fears about weight gain).

Exposure Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa Pilot Trial

Exposure Therapy Study In Adults With Eating Disorders

Condition
Eating Disorders
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Hershey

905 W Govener Rd, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States, 17033

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • 1. Participants will be English speakers, ages 18 - 65 years, of all genders, with AN-spectrum disorders, defined as a diagnosis of AN, atypical AN, or AN in partial remission.
  • 1. Participants with AN, atypical AN, and AN in partial remission share the same DSM-5 criteria, with the exception of criterion A: "Significantly low body weight."
  • 2. Individuals with atypical AN are weight suppressed, but not "objectively" underweight (e.g., someone who experiences rapid weight loss from a BMI of 27 to 21). Those with AN in partial remission are partially or fully weight restored (e.g., after stepping down from an inpatient setting), but continue to experience significant AN behaviors (e.g., food avoidance) and/or cognitions (e.g., fear of weight gain).
  • 3. Diagnoses will be determined using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 - Research Version (SCID-5-RV).93 All participants in this study will be monitored by a Penn State Health medical provider.
  • 2. All individuals who are deemed to be, or become, unsafe by their supervising medical provider will be admitted to our hospital or another facility for medical stabilization.
  • 1. Participants will be excluded if they are below 18 years of age.
  • 2. Those identified as non-English speakers will be excluded due to lack of funding to translate the measures to other languages.
  • 3. Individuals with other EDs (e.g., bulimia nervosa) will be excluded.
  • 4. Participants will be excluded if they are:

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center,

Jamal Essayli, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Penn State University

Study Record Dates

2026-06-30