Acceptability and Feasibility of a Single-Session Online Parent-Focused Intervention Targeting Child Body Image Development

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Eating Disorders; Body Image Disturbance; Weight Bias

• Registration Number: NCT07179068
• Lead Sponsor: University at Albany

Brief Summary

Body image concerns have been linked to diverse mental health issues, including depression and disordered eating. Disordered eating can develop into clinically significant eating disorders, which are associated with serious negative impacts on psychological and physical well-being, and can adversely impact developmental trajectories in children and adolescents. Given limitations in the eating disorder intervention literature, it is important to invest in effective eating disorder prevention programs. Evidence suggests that children can recognize the existence of societal appearance ideals as early as age 3; thus, this study examines the acceptability and feasibility of a single-session, online, parent-focused intervention targeting predictors of body image disturbance in young children.

Detailed Description

Body image concerns have been linked longitudinally to diverse mental health issues, including disordered eating. Disordered eating can develop into clinically significant eating disorders, which are associated with serious psychological and physical sequelae and can adversely impact developmental trajectories in children and adolescents. The mortality rate associated with eating disorders is second only to that of opiate addiction. Existing treatments for eating disorders remain only moderately effective, with \~40% remission rates for anorexia and bulimia nervosa. It is therefore important to examine early risk factors for the development of body image concerns to inform preventive approaches suitable for intervening early on in the development of disordered eating.

Evidence suggests that children can recognize the existence of societal appearance ideals as early as age 3; in fact, exposure to appearance-focused media at age 3 is prospectively predictive of positive associations with thinness at age 4 and dietary restraint behaviors at age 5. These findings suggest an important role of societal appearance ideals in fostering body discontent and point to the media as a crucial source of communication of these ideals to children. Parents have a great deal, if not all, control over the information their young children are exposed to within the home and from the outside world. The proposed study is based on the assumption that intervening with parents of young children, with a focus on education about the impact of media exposure, can reduce body image disturbance and prevent the future development of disordered eating. Thus, this study explores the acceptability and feasibility of a single-session, online, parent-focused intervention targeting predictors of body image disturbance in young children.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2025-01
• Study First Submitted: 2025-08-26
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-09-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-09-12
• Study First Posted: 2025-09-17
• Last Update Posted: 2025-09-17
• Study Start: 2025-10-01
• Primary Completion: 2025-11
• Study Completion: 2026-01-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 200

Inclusion Criteria

Must be at least 18 years old and reside in the US. They must also be the parent of a young child between the ages of 2-6.

Exclusion Criteria

None beyond not meeting inclusion criteria.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Acceptability	Directly after completion of the intervention.	Acceptability will be examined via questions about intervention credibility and expectancy to be completed by workshop participants post-intervention, adapted from the well-establish Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire (e.g., "At this point, how logical does the intervention seem to you?" "At this point, how successful do you think this information will be in reducing your concerns about your child's eating patterns?").
Recruitment	1 year after study recruitment begins.	Feasibility includes recruitment and retention rates and measurement burden. First, feasibility will be defined as successful recruitment of 100 moms and 100 dads.
Retention	At the end of data collection, an average of one year after recruitment begins.	Feasibility includes recruitment and retention rates and measurement burden. Second, feasibility will be defined as retention of 85 % of participants through the entire intervention.
Missingness	At the end of data collection, an average of one year after recruitment begins.	In addition, minimal missing data as well as survey items completed will be looked at as measures of feasibility. Less than 5 % of missing data will be required for the study to be considered feasible.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Initial Efficacy	Directly following completion of the intervention.	In Phase 2, 100 parents in the intervention group will complete the intervention, and then complete knowledge checks. 100 parents in the control group will not complete the intervention, and will only complete the knowledge checks. As a measure of initial efficacy, a t-test will be used to compare performance on the knowledge checks in the treatment vs. control group.