Development and Testing of a Mobile App to Scale Delivery of Cognitive-behavioral Therapy for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder

Launched by MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · Mar 25, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is focused on developing and testing a mobile app designed to help people with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), a serious eating disorder that affects up to 4% of adults. Many individuals with ARFID struggle to get the help they need, so this study aims to create an easy and affordable way to deliver cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) through a smartphone app. The goal is to make treatment more accessible for those who have this disorder.

To participate in the trial, you need to be an adult living in the United States who currently has ARFID and meets certain criteria, like being able to communicate in English and having access to a smartphone with internet. However, if you are underweight, have other eating disorders, or certain medical conditions, you may not be eligible. Participants will likely engage with the app to receive therapy, which could help improve their eating habits and overall well-being. This trial is not yet recruiting participants, but it represents an important step towards making effective treatment more widely available.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Current avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder based on DSM-5 criteria
• • 2. Must not have completed face-to-face CBT-AR at the Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital
• • 3. Ability to speak, write, and understand English
• • 4. Residence in the United States
• • 5. Access to an internet-connected smartphone device
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Underweight status (i.e., BMI \< 18.5 kg/m2)
• • 2. Complete lack of oral intake or dependence on supplemental feeding
• • 3. Feeding or eating disorder other than ARFID
• • 4. Any comorbid clinically significant disorder that would require attention beyond the study treatment
• • 6. Medical instability requiring inpatient care according to the American Psychiatric Association 2023 treatment guidelines for eating disorders 7. Medical history of intellectual disability 8. Illiteracy