Attachment-Based Family Therapy for Adolescents With Binge Eating (ABFT)

Attachment-Based Family Therapy for Adolescents With Transdiagnostic Binge Eating

The purpose of this study is to examine whether Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT), a well-validated treatment for adolescents with depression and suicidality, is feasible and acceptable for adolescents with binge eating and their families.

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Binge-Eating Disorder; Bulimia Nervosa; Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Attachment-Based Family Therapy

Detailed Description

This study involves a phone screen and baseline assessment to determine eligibility. Participants who are eligible for the study will receive 16 weeks of ABFT treatment. The treatment primarily focuses on improving communication and relationships within the family, and will also address disordered eating behaviors (e.g., binge eating, laxative use, self-induced vomiting). All participants enrolled in the study will receive the same treatment. Participants will also complete research assessments throughout treatment, at the end of treatment, and 3-months after the end of treatment. Research assessments include a battery of questionnaires and interviews.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 20
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Pennsylvania
    • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
      • Recruiting
      • Drexel University
      • Contact: Sophie R Abber, B.A.; Phone Number: 215-553-7110; Email: wellteen@drexel.edu
      • Principal Investigator: Stephanie M Manasse, Ph.D.

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 12 years to 22 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Speak, write, and understand English
• Age 12-22 years old
• Have a diagnosis of DSM-5 AN, BN, BED, or OSFED
• Medically stable for outpatient treatment
• Must have a parent, guardian, or primary caregiver who is willing to participate in the study and treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

• Acute suicide risk
• No parent or guardian agreement to participate
• Are currently receiving psychological treatment for an eating disorder
• Are currently receiving weight loss treatment
• Co-morbid clinically significant psychological disorder that would require attention beyond the study treatment (e.g., psychotic disorder, substance dependence)
• Diagnosis of intellectual disability

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: ABFT; Adolescents and one or both parents will complete 16 weeks of Attachment-Based Family Therapy treatment.	Behavioral: Attachment-Based Family Therapy; 16 weeks of Attachment-Based Family Therapy treatment.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Five-Minute Speech Sample (FMSS)	The Five-Minute Speech Sample is a widely-used interview to assess critical comments and emotional overinvolvement in families.	Change in critical comments and emotional overinvolvement from baseline to treatment completion, at 16 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Eating Disorder Examination (EDE)	The Eating Disorder Examination is a widely-used, semi-structured interview for the assessment of eating disorder symptoms.	Change in frequency of binge-eating and, if applicable, purging from baseline to treatment completion, at 16 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Drexel University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 10, 2020
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): December 10, 2021
• Study Completion (Anticipated): April 10, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 25, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 2, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): March 3, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 3, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 2, 2021
• Last Verified: December 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Pathologic Processes; Signs and Symptoms, Digestive; Hyperphagia; Disease; Bulimia; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Binge-Eating Disorder; Bulimia Nervosa
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2004007768

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No