ACT-ED: Randomized Controlled Trial of ACT-Based Eating Disorder Prevention Program

NCT07022873 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2025/03-07
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 28
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the efficacy of an online group prevention program developed for women at risk for eating disorders with randomized controlled trial. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does the ACT intervention lead to a significant difference in disordered eating behaviors among individuals at risk for eating disorders?
• Does the ACT intervention lead to a significant difference in body dissatisfaction among individuals at risk for eating disorders?
• Does the ACT intervention lead to a significant difference in obsessive-compulsive and borderline personality beliefs among individuals at risk for eating disorders?
• Does body image flexibility significantly affect the impact of the ACT intervention on disordered eating behaviors?
• Do self-as-context, cognitive defusion, and present-moment awareness significantly affect the impact of the ACT intervention on disordered eating behaviors? Participant will: Join the online 4-session ACT-based group program Fill the measures at pre-test, post-test and follow-up assessment.

Conditions

Eating Disorder Symptoms; Eating Pathology; Disordered Eating Behaviors

Keywords

disordered eating; eating pathology; prevention; eating disorders

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Disordered eating, assesed by the Turkish form of the Eating disorder examination questionnaire (EDE-Q)

  Disordered eating is a risk factor for eating disorders. In a prevalence study conducted in Türkiye, individuals with EDE-Q scores of 3.03 and above were defined as a high-risk group (Deveci, 2020). In this study, EDE-Q scores were assessed for inclusion criteria during enrollment. Additionally, changes in EDE-Q scores are assessed at post-test and follow-up to assess treatment effect.

  Baseline (pretest), week 4(posttest), 3-month follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Body dissatisfaction, assesed by the Turkish form of Body shape Questionnaire (BSQ)

  Baseline (pretest), week 4(posttest), 3-month follow-up

• Body image flexibility, assesed by the Turkish form of the Body Image Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (BI-AAQ)

  Baseline (pretest), week 4(posttest), 3-month follow-up

• Psychological flexibility, assesed by Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II)

  Baseline (pretest), week 4(posttest), 3-month follow-up

• Present moment awareness, assesed by the Turkish form of the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI)

  Baseline (pretest), week 4(posttest), 3-month follow-up

• Contextual Self, assesed by the Turkish form of the Self-As-Context Scale (SACS)

  Baseline (pretest), week 4(posttest), 3-month follow-up

Study Arms (2)

Experimental group

EXPERIMENTAL

ACT based eating disorder prevention program. 4 sessions of 1.5 hours, held once a week

Other: ACT-ED: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy based eating disorder prevention program

Waiting-list control group

NO INTERVENTION

Waiting-list control group

Interventions

ACT-ED: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy based eating disorder prevention program OTHER

This intervention protocol was developed specifically for women who have body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors. Based on the psychological flexibility model (hexaflex), it is designed to improve people's body image flexibility using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy techniques. Interventions related to the dimensions of the hexaflex were made during each session. The first session covers values and goal setting. The second session includes creative hopelessness, acceptance, and self-compassion. The third session covers defusion and mindfulness. The last session focuses on self-as-context exercises and the combined use of skills for committed action.

Also known as: ACT-ED

Experimental group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Gender Eligibility Details: biological females
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Being a woman aged 18 years or older
• Exhibiting disordered eating behaviors (EDE-Q score ≥ 3.03)
• Experiencing body dissatisfaction (BSQ-34 score ≥ 110)

You may not qualify if:

• Current or past diagnosis/treatment for an eating disorder
• Currently receiving psychotherapy
• Currently receiving psychiatric medication (not excluded if there has been no change in treatment in the last 6 months)
• Having chronic psychiatric disorders (e.g. psychosis)
• Having a substance addiction

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ibn Haldun University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Ibn Haldun University Psychotherapy Application and Research Center (IPAM)

Istanbul, Basaksehir, 34480, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Disordered Eating Behavior; Feeding and Eating Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Officials

• Emine Serra Nebati

  Ibn Haldun University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: To implement participant blinding, a deception procedure was used. All participants were informed that, due to high demand, they would begin the study at different time points. They were also told that the timing of their participation would be determined randomly.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: PhD candidate

Model Details: There are two groups: experimental and control. Control group will receive the intervention after the follow-up assessment.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 8, 2025
• First Posted: June 15, 2025
• Study Start: February 21, 2025
• Primary Completion: August 1, 2025
• Study Completion: August 1, 2025
• Last Updated: June 15, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
• Time Frame: Beginning with the publication of results and ending 2 years after the publication of results.
• Access Criteria: The documents will be accessible by requesting approval from the responsible researcher. It will be shared with those who have sufficient justification.

Locations

TU (1)