NCT03221738

Smartphone-Administered App Treatment for Adults With Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Development of a Cognitive Behavioral Mobile App for Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and Tests of Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Efficacy

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 10 (actual)
• Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The investigators are developing and testing a Smartphone-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) "app" for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). The investigators hypothesize that app-based CBT for BDD will be feasible and acceptable to individuals with BDD, and will improve body image concerns and related outcomes.

Detailed description

The primary aims of this study are to develop and test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a Smartphone-based CBT treatment for adults with BDD. This project aims to solve two healthcare problems: poor access to empirically-supportive treatment for BDD, and challenges of generalizing CBT skills outside therapy sessions. Inadequate treatment access is due to limited professionals offering this specialized treatment, economic barriers, and shame preventing sufferers from seeking in-person care. Mobile app-based CBT would solve this access gap by addressing each of these barriers. Among those who obtain CBT, practicing skills outside of therapy is critical for treatment effectiveness, as BDD symptoms occur around-the-clock and can be most impairing at home. However, BDD patients struggle to use skills without therapists' in-person support. App-based CBT that provides on-hand skills coaching addresses this treatment generalization challenge. This study involves developing the app-based CBT for BDD treatment, and then investigating the initial feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the app-based treatment in an open pilot trial (N = 10), consisting of 12-weeks of active treatment plus a 6-month follow up period.

Conditions

• Body Dysmorphic Disorders

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	App-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy	12-week Smartphone delivered CBT for BDD. In-person cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported treatment for BDD. The app-delivered CBT in this project includes modules such as cognitive skills (e.g., cognitive restructuring, core belief work), behavioral skills (e.g., exposure with ritual prevention), and perceptual retraining/mindfulness skills.

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-07-24
• Primary completion: 2019-01-18
• Completion: 2019-01-18
• First posted: 2017-07-19
• Last updated: 2019-06-26
• Results posted: 2019-06-26

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States