Body Dysmorphic Disorder

The GENESIS clinical study aims to map HLA genetic variation in the Greek population and evaluate possible correlations with selected underlying diseases. It is a multicenter, prospective, non-interventional clinical study targeting 12,000 subjects over an anticipated duration of 36 months, with the goal of creating a pilot HLA map for medical research and possible clinical applications. Each subject will complete one visit at a participating site and provide demographic information, including date of birth, gender, race, ancestry, height, and weight, as well as information about smoking or vaping, alcohol consumption, arterial blood pressure, diagnosed diseases, and current treatments. Recent clinical laboratory results from up to 12 months before sample collection may also be collected when available, including blood count, metabolic, liver enzyme, and biochemical parameters. Two buccal swabs will be collected from each subject for DNA extraction and HLA genotyping analysis. Selected DNA samples will also undergo low-pass whole genome sequencing to further investigate associations between the HLA region and autoimmune diseases. After the analysis is completed, an individualized ancestry report will be securely available to study subjects if they elect to access it.

Researchers are evaluating a mentalization-based parenting program called the Lighthouse MBT Parenting Program for parents with various mental disorders who are receiving adult mental health services. This trial compares this program to the usual care provided to these parents. The goal is to study both the short- and long-term effects of this intervention on parenting stress and related outcomes, addressing the high need for evidence-based support for parents with mental health conditions and their children. The study involves two groups one receives the Lighthouse MBT Parenting Program, which includes a preparatory individual session followed by twelve weekly group sessions of two hours each. The other group receives care as usual, consisting of one or two sessions with family members, commonly offered in adult mental health services. Both interventions are provided alongside the participants regular outpatient treatment. Participants will be assessed at the start of the study and again at 6, 12, and 24 months after starting the program. The research team will measure parenting stress using a standardized index and evaluate other factors such as childrens psychological adjustment, family functioning, quality of life, parenting competence, and the severity of psychiatric symptoms. The study includes careful follow-up to monitor these outcomes over two years.

This research aims to evaluate an adapted version of the Helping Ovarian Cancer Patients Cope HOPE intervention designed to address burnout among gynecologic oncology clinicians. Burnout and stress in these clinicians can lead to serious personal, professional, and societal impacts including distress, mental illness, poorer patient outcomes, increased errors, and reduced physician availability in this specialty. The adapted intervention, called HOPE-C, applies hope theory and social-cognitive theory to foster peer support and help clinicians reframe their challenging experiences. The study includes three main objectives. First, clinicians review the HOPE-C materials and provide feedback through interviews and questionnaires to help develop the intervention. Next, clinicians participate in weekly HOPE-C sessions for four weeks, each lasting about 30 to 45 minutes, focusing on changing their narrative, managing uncertainty, and finding meaning. After completing the sessions, clinicians complete questionnaires and may participate in follow-up interviews to optimize and assess the intervention. Participants will be assessed before, during, and after the intervention using questionnaires and interviews. Researchers will track feasibility measures such as enrollment rate, intervention completion, survey completion, as well as acceptability and satisfaction with the HOPE-C program. The study runs from the initial feedback phase through intervention delivery and follow-up, lasting several weeks, with assessments at baseline, during, and two weeks after completing sessions to understand the programs impact on clinician burnout.

Eating disorders are affecting many adolescents, with up to 22% showing symptoms, often alongside other mental health issues. Since adolescence is a crucial time when eating disorders can begin, preventing them during this period is very important. This study aims to adapt and test a digital chatbot program designed to prevent eating disorders in diverse groups of adolescents, including underserved populations such as low-income youth and minorities. Participants in the study will use the Wysa digital chatbot program, which offers cognitive-behavioral therapy CBT based self-help modules focused on regular eating habits and improving body image. The program includes five modules delivered over three months. The study has two groups one receives immediate access to the chatbot, while the other group waits six months before accessing it after completing the study. Throughout the study, participants will engage with the chatbot daily to complete the modules. Researchers will assess eating disorder risk factors using tools like the Weight Concerns Scale at six months. The study also focuses on addressing depression and anxiety as related issues. The total participation duration covers the three months of program use plus follow-up assessments to evaluate the chatbots effectiveness in preventing eating disorders.

This research aims to improve neuropsychological diagnostics by developing, calibrating, and evaluating new clinical and forensic neuropsychological tests. These tests focus on both instrumental and non-instrumental functions and are being studied in neurologically healthy individuals representing the Italian population, as well as in patients with various neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions. The goal is to modernize and expand diagnostic tools to meet clinical and forensic needs, including remote testing and assessments of testamentary capacity. Participants include people with brain disorders and neurologically healthy controls. The study involves cognitive and behavioral tests and questionnaires designed to assess various mental functions. These tests will be administered at baseline, then repeated after one month for healthy participants, and at 6, 12, and 18 months for those with neurodegenerative disorders to evaluate changes over time. Throughout the study, participants will undergo multiple assessments including tests like the Brief Assessment of Social Skills-Dementia, Picture Interpretation Test, and Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status among others. These evaluations are done at enrollment and at scheduled intervals to monitor cognitive and behavioral changes. The study will track outcomes to understand test reliability and clinical usefulness over an extended period, with participation lasting up to 18 months for some individuals.

Researchers are studying a new online, single-session program called Body Acceptance After Baby BABI to see if it can help new mothers cope with body dissatisfaction after giving birth. This study compares BABI to another active program, which is a short infographic providing education about body image during postpartum, and to a waitlist group that receives no intervention initially. The goal is to understand if these interventions improve how new moms feel about their bodies. The BABI program includes six parts education about postpartum body image and acceptance, a cognitive skill activity called unhooking, a values clarification exercise, a peer advice activity responding to struggles other new moms face, and creating a personal action plan. This session takes about 30 minutes to complete. The second intervention is an infographic that takes about 2 minutes to read and offers information about body image and challenges of bounce-back culture after childbirth. The waitlist group will get access to both programs after follow-up periods. Participants will be assessed at the start of the study, then again after 1 month and 3 months to measure postpartum body image, body appreciation, psychological flexibility, depression, eating disorder symptoms, intuitive eating, and self-efficacy related to breastfeeding and bottle-feeding. Initial measures also include mood and hopelessness. The study is randomized with single blinding and is sponsored by Northeastern University. The total participation time varies based on follow-up assessments up to 3 months.

Researchers are studying the changes in body image and physical activity among Hungarian women treated for breast cancer. This observational trial aims to understand how body image varies during different treatments and assess physical activity levels in this group. The study also evaluates how these factors affect quality of life using the Body Image After Breast Cancer questionnaire validated for Hungarian participants. Participants are adult women previously diagnosed with breast carcinoma. The study gathers information through questionnaires designed to measure body image and physical activity over recent periods, including the Body Image After Breast Cancer questionnaire and the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Secondary assessments include mental health and quality of life scales, such as the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and cancer-specific quality of life questionnaires. During the trial, participants will complete various questionnaires over days to weeks, providing subjective data on their body image, physical activity, self-esteem, and quality of life. Researchers will analyze these responses to better understand effects of breast cancer treatment on these aspects. The study will follow participants from September 2024 to August 2025, with ongoing data collection and analysis.

This research aims to understand how gender affirming hormone therapy GAHT affects the brains of transgender adults. The study will investigate changes in cerebral blood flow, brain structure, connectivity, and cognitive functions such as memory, attention, executive function, and processing speed. Researchers will compare these brain changes in transgender males and females over the first few months after starting GAHT. Participants will undergo two main sets of evaluations one before beginning GAHT and another 4 to 6 months after continuous hormone therapy. These evaluations include magnetic resonance imaging MRI scans to assess brain structure and function, cognitive and health tests to measure body composition and neurocognitive performance, and an optional graded exercise test to assess cardiorespiratory fitness. During the study, participants will have MRI scans involving structural brain imaging and scans during cognitive tasks and acute stress response. They will complete cognitive tasks using the NIH Toolbox and have body composition scans. Optional exercise testing may be performed. Researchers will monitor changes in brain blood flow, structure, connectivity, and various cognitive tests over the study period, with the entire observation lasting up to 6 months after starting GAHT.

Researchers are evaluating a new brief video tele-cognitive behavioral therapy called BRIGHT for survivors of head and neck cancer who experience significant body image distress. This multi-center randomized clinical trial compares BRIGHT to an attention control supportive care intervention to see if BRIGHT can reduce body image distress and improve psychological and social well-being and quality of life. The study will include 180 participants and explore how BRIGHT affects coping skills and automatic negative thoughts related to body image. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups BRIGHT or Attention Control AC. BRIGHT involves six weekly 60-minute sessions conducted one-on-one by a licensed clinical psychologist via video telehealth. Sessions cover topics such as understanding body image, self-monitoring, cognitive restructuring, coping strategies, social support, and planning for setbacks. The AC group receives six weekly 60-minute tele-supportive care sessions addressing non-body image topics like survivorship, side effects, psychosocial aspects, nutrition, financial distress, and cancer recurrence. Both interventions control for attention and delivery method. Throughout the study, participants will complete the IMAGE-HN questionnaire to measure body image distress, along with assessments of psychological symptoms, social participation, quality of life, and coping mechanisms at 2, 3, 6, and 9 months after randomization. Researchers will also conduct interviews and site visits to understand how to best implement BRIGHT in clinical care. The total follow-up lasts 9 months, with a focus on body image and mental health outcomes among head and neck cancer survivors.

Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders OCRD, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and body dysmorphic disorder, cause chronic and disabling symptoms that affect millions. These disorders involve intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors, and insight into these symptoms varies among individuals. This research evaluates whether stimulating the vestibular system on one side of the head can change insight levels in people with OCRD by activating brain areas thought to influence awareness of illness. Participants with OCRD will undergo caloric vestibular stimulation by receiving about a 60-second infusion of cold 4C distilled water into either the right or left external ear canal. The study randomly assigns participants to one of these two groups. Before and after the stimulation, researchers will assess changes in OCD symptom severity and insight using clinical measures. During the study, participants will be evaluated using the Brown Assessment of Beliefs Scale BABS to measure changes in clinical insight. This assessment occurs about one hour after the stimulation. The study design includes single blinding and randomized allocation. Participants must meet specific diagnostic and safety criteria and will be monitored throughout the trial, which runs until December 2026.