Eating DisordersNCT02076854
A Novel Motivational Ecological Momentary Intervention for Anorexia Nervosa
A study testing Text-Message Intervention in people with Eating Disorders, run by Boston University Charles River Campus at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The aim of this study is to pilot an innovative motivational text-message intervention for individuals with anorexia nervosa and subthreshold anorexia nervosa. Patients will receive personalized motivational text-messages as an adjunct to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Eating Disorders
- What is being tested?
- Text-Message Intervention
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 12 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Oct 2013to Feb 2015
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Anorexia nervosa/subthreshold anorexia nervosa (i.e., individuals who exhibit significant dietary restraint)
- 18+ years old
Who cannot join
- BMI < 16.5
- Medication instability for 6 weeks
- Recent/current suicidal risk
- Comorbid substance abuse or dependence, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or mental retardation
- Inability to provide release of information to a medical provider
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Eating Disorders Program, Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215
About this study
The aim of this study is to pilot an innovative motivational text-message intervention for individuals with anorexia nervosa and subthreshold anorexia nervosa. Patients will receive personalized motivational text-messages as an adjunct to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT will be provided to patients at no cost for the duration of the study. The investigators hypothesize that the text-messages will help increase motivation to change and kilocalorie intake and decrease eating disordered behavior.
- Conditions
- Eating Disorders
- Being tested
- Text-Message Intervention
- Keywords
- eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, treatment, technology
- Medical subject headings
- Feeding and Eating Disorders, Anorexia Nervosa
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Text-Message InterventionBehavioural
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Text-Message Intervention | Experimental | Participants will undergo four weeks (in a randomized order) of receiving personalized motivational text-messages while receiving CBT for their eating disorder. Receives: Behavioral: Text-Message Intervention |
| No Text Message Phase | No intervention | Participants will receive 4 randomized weeks of not receiving text messages while receiving CBT for their eating disorder. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Motivation to Change Eating Disorder Behaviors
Measured: Daily for 8 weeks
Change in Eating Disorder Symptoms
Measured: Daily for 8 weeks
Kilocalorie Intake (measured by self-report food records)
Measured: Daily for 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes (2)
Feasibility measured by compliance with daily questionnaire
Measured: 8 weeks
Acceptability measured by self-report ratings
Measured: 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Mar 2014 (estimated)
- Study startOct 2013
- Primary completionFeb 2015
- Study completionFeb 2015
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Eating DisordersStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 12 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Boston University Charles River Campus
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Rebecca Shingleton, M.A., Principal investigator, Boston University Charles River Campus
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02076854
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- F31MH097308
- Status last verified
- Feb 2014
- First submitted
- 18 Feb 2014
- Last updated
- 20 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 20 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Novel Motivational Ecological Momentary Intervention for Anorexia Nervosa
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02076854
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- F31MH097308
- Conditions
- Eating Disorders
- Keywords
- eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, treatment, technology
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 12 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Boston University Charles River CampusUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Oct 2013
- Primary completion
- Feb 2015 (actual)
- Study completion
- Feb 2015 (actual)
- First posted
- 4 Mar 2014 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The aim of this study is to pilot an innovative motivational text-message intervention for individuals with anorexia nervosa and subthreshold anorexia nervosa. Patients will receive personalized motivational text-messages as an adjunct to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT will be provided to patients at no cost for the duration of the study. The investigators hypothesize that the text-messages will help increase motivation to change and kilocalorie intake and decrease eating disordered behavior.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Text-Message Intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Text-Message InterventionParticipants will undergo four weeks (in a randomized order) of receiving personalized motivational text-messages while receiving CBT for their eating disorder. |
| No Text Message Phase | No intervention | –Participants will receive 4 randomized weeks of not receiving text messages while receiving CBT for their eating disorder. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Anorexia nervosa/subthreshold anorexia nervosa (i.e., individuals who exhibit significant dietary restraint)
- 18+ years old
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- BMI < 16.5
- Medication instability for 6 weeks
- Recent/current suicidal risk
- Comorbid substance abuse or dependence, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or mental retardation
- Inability to provide release of information to a medical provider
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Text-Message Intervention | Behavioural | Text-Message Intervention |
Primary outcome
Change in Motivation to Change Eating Disorder Behaviors
Time frame: Daily for 8 weeks
Change in Eating Disorder Symptoms
Time frame: Daily for 8 weeks
Kilocalorie Intake (measured by self-report food records)
Time frame: Daily for 8 weeks
2 secondary outcomes
Feasibility measured by compliance with daily questionnaire
Time frame: 8 weeks
Acceptability measured by self-report ratings
Time frame: 8 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 20 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Rebecca Shingleton, M.A. principal investigator
Boston University Charles River Campus
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Text-Message Intervention in people with Eating Disorders, run by Boston University Charles River Campus at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Motivation to Change Eating Disorder Behaviors (time frame: Daily for 8 weeks). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 20 Jul 2026.