Eating DisordersNCT07179068
Acceptability and Feasibility of a Single-Session Online Parent-Focused Intervention Targeting Child Body Image Development
A study testing Child Body Image Development Workshop in people with Eating Disorders and Body Image Disturbance, run by University at Albany at 1 site in United States.
Trial 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… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Eating Disorders, Body Image Disturbance, Weight Bias
- What is being tested?
- Child Body Image Development Workshop
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 123 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Nov 2025to 1 Feb 2026
- 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
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
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.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Prolific Online Survey Platform
Albany, New York, 12222
About this study
Official title: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Trial Assessing the Acceptability, Feasibility, and Initial Efficacy of a Single-session Online Parent-focused Intervention Targeting Predictors of Body Image Disturbance in Young Children
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.
Read the 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.
- Conditions
- Eating Disorders, Body Image Disturbance, Weight Bias
- Being tested
- Child Body Image Development Workshop
- Keywords
- Eating Disorder Prevention, Restriction, Loss of Control Eating, Body Image, Single Session Intervention
- Medical subject headings
- Feeding and Eating Disorders, Weight Prejudice
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Child Body Image Development WorkshopBehavioural
This is an online, single-session, modular intervention for parents of children that are two-to-six years old. It is designed to target and improve child body image development by providing psychoeducation and interactive activities to parents in each of the four modules. Modules include Body Image Development/Body Talk, Food Talk, Picky Eating and Mealtime Conversations, and Media Usage and Social Comparison. These modules were designed using the results of our previously completed Needs Assessment, as well as the current evidence-base regarding risk factors for the development of body image in young children.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | In phase 2, 50 participants will be randomized to complete the entire intervention; the intervention/workshop will consist of four modules: Body Image Development/Body Talk, Food Talk, Picky Eating and Mealtime Conversations, and Media Usage and Social Comparison. Each module will be approximately 10 minutes. After parents complete all four modules, they will complete measures of acceptability and feasibility, including reporting which module they found most useful. They will also complete knowledge checks. Receives: Behavioral: Child Body Image Development Workshop |
| Control | No intervention | In Phase 2, 50 parents will be randomized into the control group. This group will receive no intervention. They will only complete the knowledge checks. These knowledge checks will be the same checks completed by the intervention group. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Acceptability
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?").
Measured: Directly after completion of the intervention.
Recruitment
Feasibility includes recruitment and retention rates and measurement burden. First, feasibility will be defined as successful recruitment of 50 moms and 50 dads.
Measured: 1 year after study recruitment begins.
Retention
Feasibility includes recruitment and retention rates and measurement burden. Second, feasibility will be defined as retention of 85 % of participants through the entire intervention.
Measured: At the end of data collection, an average of one year after recruitment begins.
Missingness
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.
Measured: At the end of data collection, an average of one year after recruitment begins.
Secondary outcomes (1)
Initial Efficacy
In Phase 2, 50 parents in the intervention group will complete the intervention, and then complete knowledge checks. 50 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.
Measured: Directly following completion of the intervention.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted17 Sep 2025
- Study start1 Nov 2025
- Primary completion1 Jan 2026
- Study completion1 Feb 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- 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
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- For the initial phase of the study, investigators will randomize 24 participants to one of the four modules in the study and receive detailed qualitative feedback from those participants (6 assigned to each module; 3 mothers and 3 fathers). For the second phase of the study (the randomized controlled trial portion of the project), which assesses acceptability, feasibility, and initial efficacy, investigators will randomize 100 parents to either the intervention group or the control group. The intervention group will view the entire intervention (all 4 modules) and complete knowledge checks at the end of the intervention. The control group will only complete the knowledge checks. Investigators will compare performance on the knowledge checks in the treatment and control groups as a measure of initial efficacy.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 123 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University at Albany
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07179068
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- PrBI1243
- Other IDs
- 24-0041UA
- Status last verified
- Dec 2025
- First submitted
- 26 Aug 2025
- Last updated
- 27 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Love AA, Domoff SE, Yager Z, Timko CA, Hormes JM. Protocol for a pilot trial assessing the acceptability, feasibility, and psychoeducation effectiveness of a single-session online parent-focused intervention targeting predictors of body image disturbance in young children. Contemp Clin Trials. 2026 Jul;166:108329. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2026.108329. Epub 2026 Apr 27.
PubMed 42055111
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Trial Assessing the Acceptability, Feasibility, and Initial Efficacy of a Single-session Online Parent-focused Intervention Targeting Predictors of Body Image Disturbance in Young Children
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07179068
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PrBI1243
- Conditions
- Eating Disorders, Body Image Disturbance, Weight Bias
- Keywords
- Eating Disorder Prevention, Restriction, Loss of Control Eating, Body Image, Single Session Intervention
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 123 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University at AlbanyUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Feb 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 17 Sep 2025 (actual)
- 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.
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 design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- For the initial phase of the study, investigators will randomize 24 participants to one of the four modules in the study and receive detailed qualitative feedback from those participants (6 assigned to each module; 3 mothers and 3 fathers). For the second phase of the study (the randomized controlled trial portion of the project), which assesses acceptability, feasibility, and initial efficacy, investigators will randomize 100 parents to either the intervention group or the control group. The intervention group will view the entire intervention (all 4 modules) and complete knowledge checks at the end of the intervention. The control group will only complete the knowledge checks. Investigators will compare performance on the knowledge checks in the treatment and control groups as a measure of initial efficacy.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Child Body Image Development WorkshopIn phase 2, 50 participants will be randomized to complete the entire intervention; the intervention/workshop will consist of four modules: Body Image Development/Body Talk, Food Talk, Picky Eating and Mealtime Conversations, and Media Usage and Social Comparison. Each module will be approximately 10 minutes. After parents complete all four modules, they will complete measures of acceptability and feasibility, including reporting which module they found most useful. They will also complete knowledge checks. |
| Control | No intervention | –In Phase 2, 50 parents will be randomized into the control group. This group will receive no intervention. They will only complete the knowledge checks. These knowledge checks will be the same checks completed by the intervention group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Child Body Image Development WorkshopThis is an online, single-session, modular intervention for parents of children that are two-to-six years old. It is designed to target and improve child body image development by providing psychoeducation and interactive activities to parents in each of the four modules. Modules include Body Image Development/Body Talk, Food Talk, Picky Eating and Mealtime Conversations, and Media Usage and Social Comparison. These modules were designed using the results of our previously completed Needs Assessment, as well as the current evidence-base regarding risk factors for the development of body image in young children. | Behavioural | Intervention |
Primary outcome
Acceptability
Time frame: 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
Time frame: 1 year after study recruitment begins.
Feasibility includes recruitment and retention rates and measurement burden. First, feasibility will be defined as successful recruitment of 50 moms and 50 dads.
Retention
Time frame: 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
Time frame: 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.
1 secondary outcome
Initial Efficacy
Time frame: Directly following completion of the intervention.
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 27 Jul 2026.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42055111Love AA, Domoff SE, Yager Z, Timko CA, Hormes JM. Protocol for a pilot trial assessing the acceptability, feasibility, and psychoeducation effectiveness of a single-session online parent-focused intervention targeting predictors of body image disturbance in young children. Contemp Clin Trials. 2026 Jul;166:108329. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2026.108329. Epub 2026 Apr 27.
- 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.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Child Body Image Development Workshop in people with Eating Disorders and Body Image Disturbance, run by University at Albany 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?
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 27 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?
Acceptability (time frame: Directly after completion of the intervention.). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07179068, which also lists 1 linked publication.
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 27 Jul 2026.