Neuroscience-informed Treatment to Remotely Target Reward Mechanisms in Post-acute Anorexia Nervosa

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Anorexia Nervosa

In brief

The investigators will recruit individuals with broadly-defined AN (n = 80) who are currently in or have recently participated in higher-level eating disorder treatment (e.g., residential, partial hospitalization/day treatment, intensive outpatient treatment). Interested participants will sign consent, complete eligibility assessments, and will be randomized to receive Positive Affect Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa (PAT-AN) or Psychoeducation and Behavioral Therapy (PBT) through teletherapy shortly following discharge from higher level of care. Participants can participate in most other forms of outpatient treatment while receiving the research intervention. Participants will engage in 24 weeks of PAT-AN or PBT starting in the first 3 months post-discharge. At each session, the investigators will complete brief measures assessing treatment acceptability, affect, and eating disorder symptoms. Participants will also complete an assessment battery of self-report, EMA, and neurocognitive measures evaluating primary outcomes (BMI; eating disorder symptoms), secondary outcomes (depression, anxiety, and suicidality), and presumed treatment mechanisms at baseline, end of treatment (EOT), and 3-month follow-up (FU). All assessments will be remotely delivered via HIPAA-compliant platforms.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT05799872
Run by: Virginia Commonwealth University
People needed: 90
Starts: 2023-12-06
Expected to finish: 2026-10-30
Last updated by the study team: 2025-09-05

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Age > or = 18 years old
Ability to read and speak in English
DSM-5 diagnosis of AN or atypical AN at admission to higher-level care
In higher-level care discharging to outpatient care or discharged to outpatient care within the past 3 months
Current BMI > or = 18.5 kg/m2 (or will be by time of discharge)
BMI increase of > or = 0.5 kg/m2 while in higher-level care
Ability to designate and sign a release of information for a primary physical or mental health provider for study duration
Willingness to participate in weekly assessments (e.g., weight monitoring) and audio or video recording of study therapy sessions for study duration
Access to a smartphone and/or computer permitting engagement in remote therapy and assessment.

You may not qualify if…

Medical instability for outpatient care;
Pregnancy
Lifetime DSM-5 primary psychotic or bipolar-I disorder
Current DSM-5 substance use disorder
Enrollment in outpatient therapy with highly overlapping content to PAT-AN

Where it is running

Virginia Commonwealth University — Richmond, Virginia, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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