A New Measure of Body Image in Eating Disorders
- Conditions
- Eating Disorder
- Interventions
- Other: Body App
- Registration Number
- NCT03758326
- Lead Sponsor
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Inc.
- Brief Summary
This study aims to compare a new electronic instrument called (here referred to as the 'Body App') with traditional paper and pencil rating scales for assessing how individuals with eating disorders evaluate their body image.
- Detailed Description
Self-perceived weight or shape disturbance is a core symptom of eating disorders, with heavy therapeutic and prognostic relevance. Developing a reliable and unbiased method to assess body image disturbance is imperative, as feature characteristics of eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, include the overestimation of body size and shape. Among the most essential features of the disorder, this inability to correctly judge one's own body image has been frequently linked to the maintenance of eating disorders. Moreover, persistent perceptual disturbance for one's visual appearance is one of the strong predictors of relapse in AN and bulimia nervosa.
Body image disturbance can be conceptualized as having two main components: perceptual, and attitudinal/affective. These might be considered two distinct constructs, best measured independently. However, clinicians currently rely upon self-report questionnaires that evaluate aggregates of symptoms, perceptual experiences, behaviors, and thoughts linked to the disorder. Some scales selectively evaluate body image characteristics such as body dissatisfaction and body distortion. However, it is unclear to what degree each of these measures quantifies the specific components of perceptual experiences vs. attitudinal/affective aspects. This study aims to evaluate whether a new electronic instrument, here referred to as the 'Body App', which separates estimations of body shape and size from the attitudinal/affective component might result in closer approximations of the perceptual component of weight or shape disturbance, and facilitate the assessment of body image disturbance in eating disorders.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
- Sex
- Female
- Target Recruitment
- 135
- Primary clinical diagnosis of eating disorder
- Receiving inpatient treatment for eating disorder
- Body mass index greater than or equal to 14
- Independently ambulatory
- Possession of a smartphone with data plan
- English proficiency
- Active suicidal ideation
- Comorbid schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorder.
Healthy comparison group:
Inclusion Criteria:
- No current psychiatric diagnosis
- Body mass index greater than or equal to 14
- Independently ambulatory
- Possession of a smartphone with data plan
- English proficiency
Exclusion Criteria:
- Body mass index > 41
- Active suicidal ideation
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Healthy comparison Body App Measurement of body image via Body App and relationship to body measurement Eating disorder Body App Measurement of body image via Body App and relationship to body measurement
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Body image distortion score on the Body App Tool Through study completion, an average of 1 year Discrepancy between subjective body estimation on avatar and actual measurement of corresponding body part
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Body image dissatisfaction score on the Photographic Figure Rating Scale Through study completion, an average of 1 year Average of the absolute change in body image dissatisfaction across each measurement (score range: 0 to 10; larger changes indicate greater severity of body image dissatisfaction)
Body image disturbance on the Body Image States Scale Through study completion, an average of 1 year Average of the absolute change in body image disturbance across each measurement relative to baseline (range 0 to 48, higher scores indicate greater severity of body image disturbance)
Body dysmorphic concerns on the Dysmorphic Concerns Questionnaire Through study completion, an average of 1 year Average of the absolute change in dysmorphic concerns across each measurement relative to baseline (range 0 to 21, higher scores indicate greater severity of dysmorphic concerns)
Body image disturbance on the Body Appreciation Scale-2 Through study completion, an average of 1 year Average of the absolute change in body image disturbance across each measurement relative to baseline (range 10 to 50, higher scores indicating reduced severity of body image disturbance)
Exercise addiction on the Exercise Addiction Inventory Through study completion, an average of 1 year Average of the absolute change in exercise addiction across each measurement relative to baseline (range 6 to 30, higher scores indicate greater severity of exercise addiction)
Eating disorder severity on the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire Through study completion, an average of 1 year Average of the absolute change in overall eating disorder severity across each measurement relative to baseline (range 0 to 6, larger scores indicate greater severity of eating disorder)
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Laureate Institute for Brain Research
🇺🇸Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States