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Virtual therapy aims to help teens with anorexia face their fears
NCT ID NCT07188155
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This pilot study is testing a new type of talk therapy, called Exposure Therapy for Anorexia (Exp-AN), delivered virtually to 16 teenagers aged 14-17 with anorexia nervosa. The therapy helps teens identify and face their fears about gaining weight through real-life and mental exercises. The goal is to see if this approach can reduce anxiety and improve eating behaviors.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Exposure Therapy for Anorexia (Exp-AN)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could provide a new, targeted therapy to help teens with anorexia face their fears about weight gain and improve their eating habits.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study with only 16 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. It's also early-stage, so we don't yet know if it's more effective than standard care.
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
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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
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About 16 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Feb 2026
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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14 to 17 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: * Has a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN) * English speaking * Mentally stable for an outpatient level of care * Living with at least one parent/caregiver * Less than or equal to 90% of expected body weight Exclusion Criteria: * Younger than 14 years old or older than 17 years old * Has a current psychotherapist and not open to pausing treatment for the duration of the study * Has a diagnosis of bulimia nervosa or binge-eating disorder * Acutely suicidal * Pregnant * Meets DSM-5 criteria for a psychotic disorder and/or has an intellectual disability * Non-English speaking
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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
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Penn State College of Medicine
RECRUITINGHershey, Pennsylvania, 17033, United States
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