Brief Writing Programs for Sexual Minority Young Adults in Alabama

NCT05559944 | Withdrawn

• 1 other identifier: #22-317
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: N/A
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Sexual minority (SM; e.g., gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, queer) young adults are at elevated risk for eating disorders (EDs). Researchers have used minority stress theory to understand how increased risk is due, in part, to stigma and discrimination from being part of a marginalized group. Despite this glaring inequity, limited programs exist to prevent EDs in SM populations. Critically, many SM young people live in rural regions with high anti-LGBTQ+ stigma and limited access to SM-specific resources. The proposed project will address this gap by adapting and evaluating two brief online interventions to reduce ED risk. N = 120 SM young adults in rural regions of Alabama with high LGBTQ+ stigma and low SM-specific resources will be randomized into one three brief online writing interventions: 1) expressive writing (n = 40), 2) self-affirmation (n = 40), or 3) control (n = 40). Participants will complete assessments pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 1-month post-intervention. Aim 1 will assess intervention feasibility and acceptability. Aim 2 will compare the brief online writing interventions to control in improving body image and ED symptoms. Finally, an exploratory aim will examine posited intervention mechanisms and whether the level of SM stigma and discrimination participants experience pre-intervention impacts intervention efficacy. This research will help support and benefit underserved SM young adults by filling a critical need for brief, scalable interventions that can be delivered online to help reduce ED risk. Data from this project will serve as pilot data for a subsequent R-series grant application from NIH.

Conditions

Expressive Writing; Self-Affirmation; Control

Keywords

LGBTQIA+; Body Image; Alabama; Eating Disorders

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Body Image

  Body Image States Scale (BISS); 7-item self-report measure about satisfaction with overall appearance. Scores range from 1-9, with higher scores reflecting more positive body image

  changes from baseline through 1-month follow-up

• Eating Disorder Symptoms

  Eating Pathology Symptom Inventory (EPSI); 45-item measure that assesses 8 domains of eating disorder pathology, scores range from 0-32, with higher scores indicating greater pathology

  changes from baseline through 1-month follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Internalization of Appearance Ideals and Pressures

  changes from baseline through 1-month follow-up

• Negative Affect

  changes from baseline through 1-month follow-up

• Interpersonal Emotion Regulation

  changes from baseline through 1-month follow-up

• Health-related quality of life

  changes from baseline through 1-month follow-up

• Social Self-Esteem

  changes from baseline through 1-month follow-up

Other Outcomes (7)

• Coping Self-Efficacy

  Baseline

• Discrimination

  Baseline

• Internalized Stigma

  Baseline

Study Arms (3)

Expressive Writing

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be asked to write about the biggest body image or eating-related stressor they have experienced as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. A general list of the types of stressors and contexts commonly described will be provided to participants, given that meta-analytic research supports that providing examples enhances the efficacy of expressive writing.

Behavioral: Expressive Writing

Self-Affirmation

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will respond to one new vignette per day describing a SM young adult experiencing severe body image stress in Alabama. Participants will be asked to write to this person and provide advice based on their own experience as a SM young adult. Vignettes will be identical across participants; however, they will be matched to participants' sexual identity, gender identity, and race/ethnicity.

Behavioral: Self-Affirmation

Control

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Consistent with prior research participants will write about their routine daily activities since waking up for 20 minutes each day, sans emotional content.

Behavioral: Control

Interventions

Expressive Writing BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be asked to write about the biggest body image or eating-related stressor they have experienced as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Expressive Writing

Self-Affirmation BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive one new vignette per day describing a SM young adult experiencing severe body image stress in Alabama. Participants will be asked to write to this person and provide advice based on their own experience as a SM young adult. Vignettes will be identical across participants; however, they will be matched to participants' sexual identity, gender identity, and race/ethnicity.

Self-Affirmation

Control BEHAVIORAL

Consistent with prior research participants will write about their routine daily activities since waking up for 20 minutes each day, sans emotional content.

Control

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 30 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• ages 18-30
• identify as SM (gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, or queer)
• endorse body dissatisfaction
• currently living in one of the following AL counties: Lee, Dallas, Lowndes, Autauga, Coosa, Elmore, Tallapoosa, Macon, or Russell
• have internet access (either via computer/tablet, mobile phone, or community center\[e.g., library\])

You may not qualify if:

• meet criteria for an ED, based on self-report screener
• non-English speaking
• Lack of internet access
• Not living in one of the following AL counties: Lee, Dallas, Lowndes, Autauga, Coosa, Elmore, Tallapoosa, Macon, or Russell
• Younger than 18, older than 30

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Auburn University: lead

Related Links

• Contact Page for Study Enrollment and Information

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Feeding and Eating Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Signs and Symptoms, Digestive; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Jordan Merriweather

  Auburn University

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 19, 2022
• First Posted: September 29, 2022
• Study Start: December 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Last Updated: January 30, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share