Incorporating Narrative Into the Treatment of Youth With Anorexia Nervosa

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Anorexia Nervosa

• Registration Number: NCT06849830
• Lead Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether a narrative medicine (NM) curriculum can enhance self-expression, reflection, and resilience in adolescents and young adults with anorexia nervosa.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does participation in an NM curriculum improve self-expression and reflection in individuals with anorexia nervosa?

* Does engaging in creative writing and group discussion promote resilience and emotional processing in this population?

Participants will be 16-25 years old, medically stable for outpatient eating disorder therapy, and actively engaged in treatment. Those with active suicidal ideation, recent non-suicidal self-injury, or a co-occurring personality disorder will not be eligible.

Participants will:

* Attend six weekly workshops (April-May 2025) focused on themes such as self-definition, kindness, resilience, and possibility

* Engage in close reading of visual or written texts

* Complete creative writing exercises in response to prompts

* Participate in group discussions and sharing

An optional capstone reading event will provide a supportive space for participants to share their work with peers, loved ones, and providers, fostering connection and community.

This study aims to explore the role of narrative medicine in eating disorder treatment and assess its potential benefits for psychological well-being and self-expression.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2025-02-08
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-02-24
• Status Verified: 2025-03
• Study Start: 2025-03-19
• Study First Posted: 2025-03-25
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-03-31
• Last Update Posted: 2025-04-03
• Primary Completion: 2025-05
• Study Completion: 2025-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 15

Inclusion Criteria

• 16-25 years old
• have a DSM-5 diagnosis of AN (confirmed by the UCSF Eating Disorders Program clinical team),
• currently engaged in outpatient eating disorder treatment, ensuring medical stability and capacity for a group-based intervention
• English fluency to engage in reflective writing and discussions
• Cognitive ability to meaningfully participate in narrative-based exercises

Exclusion Criteria

• Currently medically unstable or require inpatient hospitalization
• History of psychosis, schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or personality disorder
• Severe neurocognitive impairment that would prevent engagement with the intervention
• Active suicidal ideation or non-suicidal self-injury within the past two months
• Insufficient English proficiency to participate in group discussions and writing exercises

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Number of participants in each session	Immediately post-intervention (Week 6)	Feasibility will be measured by participant retention in intervention.
Satisfaction with intervention components using 5-point Likert scales and semi-structured individual interviews	Immediately post-intervention (Week 6)	Acceptability will be measured by questionnaire including 5-point Likert scales and semi-structured individual interviews assessing content relevance, writing prompts, group discussions, and facilitation.; Scale title: Intervention Satisfaction Questionnaire (ISQ) Minimum value: 1 (Strongly Disagree) Maximum value: 5 (Strongly Agree) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction with the intervention (better outcome).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Identity Clarity	Pre- (Week 0) and immediately post-intervention (Week 6)	Assessed using the Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory - Identity Subscale (EPS-Identity), which evaluates self-concept clarity and personal identity coherence.; Scale title: Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory - Identity Subscale (EPS-Identity) Minimum value: 1 (Strongly Disagree) Maximum value: 5 (Strongly Agree) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate stronger identity development and consolidation (better outcome).
Social Connectedness	Pre- (Week 0) and immediately post-intervention (Week 6)	Measured using the Social Connectedness Scale (SCS), which assesses perceived closeness to others and sense of belonging.; Scale title: Social Connectedness Scale (SCS) Minimum value: 1 (Strongly Disagree) Maximum value: 6 (Strongly Agree) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater feelings of social connectedness and belonging (better outcome).
Depression Symptoms	Pre- (Week 0) and immediately post-intervention (Week 6)	Measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depressive symptoms.; Scale title: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) Minimum value: 0 (Not at all) Maximum value: 3 (Nearly every day) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater severity of depressive symptoms (worse outcome).
Anxiety Symptoms	Pre- (Week 0) and immediately post-intervention (Week 6)	Measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety.; Scale title: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) Scale Minimum value: 0 (Not at all) Maximum value: 3 (Nearly every day) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater severity of anxiety symptoms (worse outcome).
Eating Disorder Severity	Pre- (Week 0) and immediately post-intervention (Week 6)	Measured using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), which captures cognitive and behavioral symptoms of AN, and percent of expected body weight (EBW) at follow-up.; Scale title: Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) Minimum value: 0 (No days / Not at all) Maximum value: 6 (Every day / Extremely) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater severity of eating disorder psychopathology (worse outcome).

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

UCSF Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building; 🇺🇸 San Francisco, California, United States