Computer-Delivered Intervention for Individuals With Obesity and Elevated Anxiety Sensitivity

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Anxiety Sensitivity
Physical Activity
Obesity
Eating

Interventions: Other: Anxiety Sensitivity Training
Other: Health Control

Registration Number: NCT03917901

Lead Sponsor: University of Houston

Brief Summary: The proposed study will design and evaluate a computerized-delivered single-session anxiety sensitivity reduction program (i.e., Anxiety Sensitivity Training; AST). The AST will be designed to achieve three primary aims: (1) provide psycho-educational information on AS and its consequences, (2) present psycho-educational information on the relationship between AS and obesity-related health behavior correlates, and (3) offer concrete, evidence-based strategies to facilitate motivation to change their obesity-related lifestyle behaviors.

Detailed Description: The primary goal of the research study is to investigate the efficacy of a brief, computer-delivered transdiagnostic intervention that addresses anxiety sensitivity to reduce emotional eating, eating expectancies, food cravings, binge eating, perceived barriers to engage in physical activity, anxiety/depressive symptoms, severity of daily fatigue and increase perceived benefits to engage in physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, willingness to use adaptive coping strategies, and perceived physical health functioning. To address this aim, the investigator's will implement a randomized controlled trial that will employ a longitudinal experimental design and involve five stages: (a) online pre-screener; (b) baseline survey consisting of a pre-intervention assessment (eligibility) and random assignment to a one-session computer-delivered intervention (Active versus Control); (c) 1-week follow-up survey; (d) 2-week follow-up survey; (e) 1-month follow-up survey.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 131

Inclusion Criteria

Have a body mass index of at least 30
Endorse elevated anxiety sensitivity defined as an ASI-3 score of 17 or greater

Exclusion Criteria

Any anticipated matters that would interfere with participating in the study
Not being fluent in English

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Anxiety Sensitivity Training	Anxiety Sensitivity Training	The Anxiety Sensitivity training (AST) will provide: (1) psychoeducation on anxiety sensitivity and its consequences, (2) psychoeducation on the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and obesity-related health behavior correlates, and (3) concrete, evidenced-based strategies to reduce anxiety sensitivity.
Health Control	Health Control	The Health Control (HC) will cover general health care, such as information on wearing sunscreen and regular attendance to doctor appointments. The HC will not provide any recommendations or education on mood, dietary, or physical habits.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3	Baseline,1-week, 2-week and 1-month follow-up	The Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 is an 18-item measured that will be used to assess sensitivity to, and fear of, the potential negative consequences of anxiety-related symptoms and sensations. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (Very Little) to 4 (Very Much). Scores will be calculated by summing all items (possible range = 0 -72), with lower scores indicating a better outcome.
Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire	Baseline,1-week, 2-week and 1-month follow-up	The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire will be used to assess emotional eating. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). For the current study, the emotional eating subscale (13 items) will be used as a measure of emotional eating. The 13 items of the subscale are summed and divided by 13 to create a mean score with a range from 1-5. Lower scores on this measure indicate better outcomes.
Exercise Self-Efficacy	Baseline,1-week, 2-week and 1-month follow-up	Exercise self-efficacy will be assessed with a 5-item self-report assessment of one's confidence about their ability to engage in physical activity. Items are rated on a 9-point Likert-type scale that ranges from 0 (not at all confident) to 8 (extremely confident). A total score will be created by summing the 5-items with higher scores indicating a better outcome (possible range 0 - 40).
Eating Expectancy Inventory	Baseline,1-week, 2-week and 1-month follow-up	The Eating Expectancy Inventory will be used to measure cognitive expectancies of eating. The Eating Expectancy Inventory subscale facet: eating helps manage negative affect will be used in the current study. Respondents will be asked to rate on a 7-point Likert scale the degree to which they 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree) to each item. Responses are summed for each subscale. Lower scores on the 18-item eating helps manage negative affect subscale (possible range = 18 - 126) indicate better outcomes.