AI-Powered Exposure Therapy Chatbot for Adolescents and Young Adults with Eating Disorders Supporting Partial Hospitalization Treatment

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are developing and refining an artificial intelligence AI-powered Exposure Therapy chatbot web-app aimed at adolescents and young adults with eating disorders. This digital tool is designed to engage participants and reduce their anxiety about weight gain. The study will enroll 20 participants aged 12 to 26 years who are receiving treatment in a Partial Hospitalization Program for eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, or other specified feeding or eating disorders. The project includes iterative development and evaluation of the chatbot using implementation science frameworks and benchmarks from previous mental health chatbot research. Participants will use the Exp-ED chatbot app during the first six weeks of their Partial Hospitalization Program treatment. The app delivers exposure-based content through a text-based interface on smartphones or personal computers, guiding users with exercises to gradually reduce anxiety, recording their distress ratings, and providing coping prompts. The development process includes monthly reviews and updates to the app based on participant feedback and data. Each new version will be tested with new participants, creating a continuous improvement cycle. During the six-week study period, participants will complete assessments every two weeks, including interviews about their experience with the chatbot, measures of feasibility, usability, and acceptability, and evaluations of anxiety about weight gain. Researchers will track usage data such as how often and how long participants engage with the app. Additional assessments include clinical impairment, eating disorder symptoms, fear of food, generalized anxiety, depression, and eating anxiety. The study aims to understand how well the chatbot supports treatment and reduces anxiety symptoms in young people with eating disorders.

Developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbot for Adolescents and Young Adults With Eating Disorders