Developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbot for Adolescents and Young Adults With Eating Disorders

Part of paid clinical trials in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Sponsor
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Study ID
NCT07237607
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

  • Anorexia Nervosa
  • Binge-Eating Disorder
  • Bulimia Nervosa
  • Eating Disorders

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
12 Years - 26 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • "Exp-ED" Digital Exposure-Therapy Chatbot app — BEHAVIORAL
    Exp-ED is a text-based digital health application designed for smartphones and personal computers. It provides exposure-based content to adolescents and young adults with eating disorders. The chatbot guides users through exposure exercises (structured steps to reduce anxiety over time), records subjective distress ratings (self-reported anxiety scores), and offers evidence-based coping prompts. These sessions are intended to supplement clinical care during a six-week partial hospitalization program.

Study Details

The goal of this study is to develop and refine an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered Exposure Therapy for Eating Disorders chatbot web-app that effectively engages adolescents and young adults and decreases anxiety about weight gain. Participants will use the web-app as a supplemental therapeutic tool during their first six weeks of treatment in a Partial Hospitalization Program. Participants will complete assessments every two weeks, including: (1) semi-structured interviews about their experience with the chatbot web-app; (2) implementation outcome measures (e.g., feasibility, usability, acceptability); and (3) anxiety about weight gain.

Key Dates

Start date
Mar 23, 2026
Status verified
Apr 2026
Primary completion
Jun 30, 2027
Completion
Jun 30, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
20 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: "Exp-ED" Digital Exposure-Therapy Chatbot app
    Exp-ED will target anxiety about weight gain through an exposure based treatment.

Primary Outcome Measure

Number of times participants use web-app. [ Time Frame: End of Week 2, End of Week 4, End-of-Treatment (Week 6) ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Penn State College of MedicineHersheyPennsylvania17033
Jamal H Essayli, PhD
[email protected]
717-531-0003

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By research site
Penn State College of Medicine· Hershey, PA

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