Exposure Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa Pilot Trial
The current proposal will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of Exposure Therapy for anorexia nervosa (AN) spectrum disorders (Exp-AN), an innovative treatment rooted in principles of inhibitory learning. Exp-AN will target anxiety about both eating and weight gain by combining in vivo (i.e., in real life) and imaginal (i.e., mental) exposure in novel ways (e.g., eating a feared food while listening to a recording describing fears about weight gain).
• Participants will be English speakers, ages 18 - 65 years, of all genders, with AN-spectrum disorders, defined as a diagnosis of AN, atypical AN, or AN in partial remission.
‣ Participants with AN, atypical AN, and AN in partial remission share the same DSM-5 criteria, with the exception of criterion A: Significantly low body weight.
⁃ Individuals with atypical AN are weight suppressed, but not objectively underweight (e.g., someone who experiences rapid weight loss from a BMI of 27 to 21). Those with AN in partial remission are partially or fully weight restored (e.g., after stepping down from an inpatient setting), but continue to experience significant AN behaviors (e.g., food avoidance) and/or cognitions (e.g., fear of weight gain).
⁃ Diagnoses will be determined using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 - Research Version (SCID-5-RV).93 All participants in this study will be monitored by a Penn State Health medical provider.
• All individuals who are deemed to be, or become, unsafe by their supervising medical provider will be admitted to our hospital or another facility for medical stabilization.