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Pen and paper therapy: daily Letter-Writing may ease shame before eating disorder care

NCT ID NCT04174703

Symptom relief Sponsor: University of Waterloo Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only This study
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether a two-week online self-compassionate letter-writing exercise can reduce shame and guilt about weight and body image, and increase readiness for treatment in people with eating disorders. 160 adults with anorexia, bulimia, or binge-eating disorder who are waiting to start group therapy will be randomly assigned to the letter-writing task or a control group. The goal is to see if this simple practice can improve treatment outcomes.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
self-compassionate letter-writing intervention
What this could lead to
If it works, this simple writing exercise could help people with eating disorders feel less shame and be more ready to engage in treatment.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study with no blinding, so results may not be generalizable. The intervention is brief and may not produce lasting change.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 160 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Sep 2020

Expected to finish

Dec 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

17 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. DSM-5 diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder 2. Eligible to start group eating disorders treatment at St. Joseph's Eating Disorder Program 3. 17 years of age or older Exclusion Criteria: None

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anorexia nervosa binge eating disorder Binge-Eating Disorder bulimia nervosa eating disorder Feeding and Eating Disorders

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Anorexia nervosa Binge-eating disorder Bulimia nervosa Compassion Eating disorders

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton

    Hamilton, Ontario, L8N3K7, Canada

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.