An interventional study of Imaginal Exposure for Anorexia Nervosa and Treatment as Usual (TAU) in Anorexia Nervosa, sponsored by University College, London. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-04-06.
Sponsored by University College, London · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
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Among 21 studies in Anorexia Nervosa with a site in United Kingdom — 4 open to participants now, 7 under way, none of them phase 3. Anorexia Nervosa · United Kingdom.
Among the 21 studies in Anorexia Nervosa with a site in United Kingdom, this one is the 3rd largest by planned enrollment of the 16 interventional ones that give a count, is one of 4 that started in 2025, is one of 12 with no phase, and was the 19th registered.
469 studies on the registry are indexed under Anorexia Nervosa; 127 are open to participants now.
Browse Anorexia Nervosa studies →4 of the 21 studies in Anorexia Nervosa with a site in United Kingdom are open now. Recruiting first, the newest first:
University of Leicester · Sites in United Kingdom
Ages 16+
NHS Forth Valley · Sites in United Kingdom
Ages 18+
Canterbury Christ Church University · Sites in United Kingdom
Ages 18+
A study can be open while its sites in United Kingdom have not opened yet or have stopped. Only those recruiting at a site in United Kingdom →
Of the 83 Anorexia Nervosa studies recruiting now, 18 (22%) set no upper age limit and 61 (73%) stop at 75 or younger; 48 take children under 18; 26 take healthy volunteers.
This study: 18 Years and older · all sexes · no healthy volunteers.
The full table on the hub →This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
21 studies; the count open now beside each. This study's row is marked.
A study in two phases is counted once above. Listed by phase, each with its combined phases: Phase 1 3 · Phase 2 2
First in 2011; this study’s year is marked. 4 started in 2025.
By drug class, each counting the studies that test any of its medicines:
This study's planned enrollment of 76 is above the median of 46 across 313 interventional studies indexed under Anorexia Nervosa.
Median enrollment 32 across the 16 interventional studies, 29 across the 5 observational. Of the 9 that completed or were terminated, 0 (0%) have results posted.
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1 of 21 have an industry lead sponsor. The 10 most frequent:
University College, London is the lead sponsor of 651 studies on the registry; 149 are open to participants now.
Of its 6 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 2 (33%) have results posted.
University College, London has 1 study filed under Anorexia Nervosa — fewer than ten, so there is no comparison to draw.
1 of the studies in Anorexia Nervosa with a site in United Kingdom that are under way reach primary completion within a year, 0 of them phase 3. Phase 3 first, then by date:
| Study | Primary completion |
|---|---|
| NCT06103929University of LeicesterAdult Eating Disorder Assessment Study | 2027-05 |
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Among the 21 studies in Anorexia Nervosa with a site in United Kingdom, from their registry updates:
Nothing recorded among them since 2026-09-25.
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The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if an imaginal exposure intervention first conducted by Levinson and colleagues (2020) can produce similar promising results in individuals with anorexia on the waiting list of an NHS eating disorder service. The main question it aims to answer is:
How effective is Imaginal Exposure Therapy in reducing eating disorder symptoms and increasing weight in patients with AN?
The secondary research questions are:
Researchers will compare the results of individuals in the treatment condition to individual's in the control condition to explore the efficacy of the intervention on eating disorder and eating disorder fear symptomology, and body weight.
Participants in the intervention group will receive 4 sessions of online exposure therapy, and participants in the control group will remain on the waiting list with treatment as usual (primarily nurse monitoring).
Study design type: The study will have a parallel group design. Approximately half of the participants will be randomised to receive our intervention, IE for AN. The other half will remain on the waitlist for the service and receive treatment as usual (TAU), which includes specialist nurse monitoring, occasional medical reviews, and dietetic support (depending on the individual's particular needs). This study design will allow us to directly assess the efficacy of the IE intervention, as compared to standard waiting list monitoring, on participants' weight and AN symptoms.
Sampling: Potential participants will be identified by the direct care team; any details not obtained through the study questionnaires will be obtained through digital medical records. The researchers will request information where needed through the direct care team. Participants will be recruited through the NELFT ED service post referral triage, while patients are on the waiting list. Participants will be the adults on the waiting list for receiving AN treatment at NELFT.
Procedure: Following informed consent, participation in the trial will last 5 weeks.
Week 1: All participants will, where possible, come to the service in-person to be weighed. All participants will complete a set of psychometric questionnaires during this appointment. The IE group will also complete the Eating Disorder Fear Interview (Levinson et al., 2019), administered in order to identify a fear to target in exposure therapy. If not possible to attend in-person, this primary appointment will be held on Zoom. All baseline appointments will be with a study coordinator.
Week 2: First online imaginal exposure. Week 3: Second online imaginal. Week 4: Third online imaginal exposure. Week 5: Fourth online imaginal exposure and participants will complete the final battery of online questionnaires. They will then come to the service in-person to be weighed again.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will receive imaginal exposure for Anorexia Nervosa
Other: Imaginal Exposure for Anorexia Nervosa
Participants in this arm will remain on the waitlist for the service and receive treatment as usual (TAU), which includes specialist nurse monitoring, occasional medical reviews, and dietetic support (depending on the individual's particular needs).
Other: Treatment as Usual (TAU)
Imaginal exposure aims to use the power of imagining the fearful situation to heighten anxiety and by not engaging in imaginative restriction or other eating disorder behaviours, the individual, in theory, can habituate to the anxiety until it naturally subsides.
TAU includes specialist nurse monitoring, occasional medical reviews, and dietetic support (depending on the individual's particular needs)
Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire
A 28-item questionnaire aiming to assess the characteristics, range, frequency and severity of behaviours associated with clinical eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder and OSFED. It consists of 4 subscales: Restraint, Eating Concern, Shape Concern and Weight Concern and overall global score. Higher scores are indicative of more severe eating difficulties and the scale is used as an assessment and diagnostic tool.
Time frame: From initial interview till the end of treatment after 5 weeks
Body Mass Index
BMI is a measure using an individual's tissue mass (weight) and height to determine body mass index, which is categorised into the following: Underweight (under 18.5 kg/m2), Normal Weight (18.5-24.9) Overweight (25-29.9) and Obese (30 or more).
Time frame: From initial session until the end of intervention at 5 weeks
Fear of Food Measure (FOFM)
Designed by Levinson et al., specifically to assess improvement in Eating Related Anxiety over the course of Imagined Exposure Therapy. It consists of 3 subscales: Anxiety about Eating, Food Avoidance Behaviours, and Feared Concerns.
Time frame: From initial session to the end of the intervention at 5 weeks
Eating Disorder Fears Interview (EFI)
Designed by Levinson et al., the EFI is a semi-structured interview consisting of 31 items designed to assess common ED fears such as food, weight gain and consequences of weight gain (judgement). This interview can also be used in tandem with Eating Disorder clinical assessment interviews to attain a more in depth understanding of treatment aims and goals.
Time frame: From initial session to the end of intervention at 5 weeks
Eating Disorder Fears Questionnaire (EFQ)
Designed by Levinson et al., the EFQ is a 30 item self-report measure designed to assess common ED fears such as gaining weight, consequences of weight gain, and eating in public.
Time frame: From initial session to the end of intervention at 5 weeks
Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ)
A 16 Item Questionnaire assessing traits of worrying in adults. The scale measures three dimensions of worrying: excessive, generality and uncontrollable.
Time frame: From initial session to end of intervention at 5 weeks.
Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II)
The BDI-II is a 21 item self report inventory measuring severity of depression in adolescents and adults.
Time frame: From the initial session to the end of the intervention at 5 weeks.
Plan to share: No
Start is estimated for Apr 2025; primary completion for Apr 2026, 12 months later.
Of 151 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Anorexia Nervosa, half reached primary completion within 43 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 24 and three quarters within 63. This study's planned 12 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 151 studies reached it within 43 months; a quarter within 24 and three quarters within 63.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Apr 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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