Targeting Social Function to Improve Outcomes in Anxiety and Eating Disorders
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Summary
Social processing and cognition are often altered in patients with eating disorders. The goal of this clinical trial is to assess two different social therapeutic interventions -- one educational, one interactive -- for their effectiveness in improving clinical outcomes in patients with eating disorders. Patients in both interventions will receive education about social function in eating disorders, but those in the interactive treatment group will complete an additional collaborative art task. Participants will: * attend a baseline study visit to complete clinical interviews, cognitive testing, and behavioral tasks * complete a pre-intervention assessment with questionnaires * attend eight sessions of their assigned treatment group over the course of 12 weeks * complete three virtual follow-up assessments 4, 8, and 12 months from their baseline * attend a final study visit to repeat some clinical interviews, cognitive testing, and behavioral tasks Researchers will compare changes in eating disorder, mood, and anxiety symptoms as well as test results from baseline and final study visits for each group to see if * patients can be treated effectively with education alone or if an interactive group component produces additional benefits * cognitive and behavioral task performance are associated with recovery or illness state.
Description
Eating disorders are devastating psychiatric disorders that afflict approximately 2% of young women and men. While the specific determining factors in illness progression and recovery remain poorly understood, social environment is known to be closely associated with eating disorders. Onset occurs most commonly in adolescence and young adulthood, times of complex changes in social roles, and social stressors are common both when eating disorders begin and recur. These clinical observations suggest that the brain mechanisms that process social stimuli may differ for people with eating disorders…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * In the past 12 months, has met DSM-5 criteria met for an eating disorder (Anorexia Nervosa, Atypical Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Avoidant-Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, or Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder) and/or an anxiety disorder (Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder) * Between the ages of 18-30 Exclusion Criteria: * Current inpatient or residential treatment * Medical instability or safety/suicide risk as determined by the PI
Interventions
- BehavioralEducational
The educational intervention is an 8-session series of informational presentations about brain function and altered social processing related to eating disorders. Participants will receive a reflective prompt to complete as homework and will have an opportunity to discuss their responses during the following session.
- BehavioralInteractive
The interactive intervention is an 8-session series of experiential art therapy tasks followed by education about social processing. Participants will complete the tasks as a group or in small teams. Afterward, they will be encouraged to discuss their thoughts and feelings related to their experience. The educational component will include a homework assignment that participants will have the opportunity to discuss at the following session.
Location
- UT Southwestern Multispecialty Psychiatry ClinicDallas, Texas