What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the psychological treatment called Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO-DBT) for adolescents aged 14 to 19 who have eating disorders with emotional overcontrol and have not fully responded to previous treatments. The study focuses on youth at risk for developing severe and long-lasting eating disorder symptoms, particularly those with primarily restrictive symptoms. The trial aims to assess the feasibility of providing RO-DBT and its effects on reducing eating disorder symptoms and improving emotional and social functioning. The treatment lasts about 22 weeks and includes individual therapy sessions and parallel skills training in groups. Additionally, parents participate in a group of four sessions designed to support the adolescent’s progress. The study uses a single-case experimental design where each participant acts as their own control, with baseline measurements taken 4 to 6 weeks before treatment starts. Participants are monitored weekly during treatment and followed up one year after treatment ends. Participants will complete weekly assessments during the baseline and treatment phases to measure changes in eating disorder symptoms, body mass index (BMI), treatment attendance, homework completion, and treatment credibility. Additional evaluations include questionnaires on emotional overcontrol, loneliness, anxiety, depression, and treatment acceptability. Follow-up assessments occur six months and one year after treatment to evaluate lasting effects. Safety and feasibility data such as drop-out rates and inclusion rates will also be recorded.

Evaluation of Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Youth At Risk for Developing Severe and Enduring Eating Disorders