Expand Your Horizon: An Online Writing Intervention for Women

Body Image Clinical Trial

Official title:

Expand Your Horizon: An Online Writing Intervention for Women

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04146792
• Other study ID #: HM20016491
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: February 21, 2020
• Est. completion date: February 25, 2021

Study information

• Verified date: March 2021
• Source: Virginia Commonwealth University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this research study is to test a new writing-based intervention that helps young adult women increase their body acceptance and fosters creativity.

Description:

In this study, participants will be asked to do the following things:

1. Complete 3 writing exercises over the course of week. Each writing exercise will take approximately 15 minutes to complete

2. ~1-hour long online surveys immediately after the program (1 week), and 1 week after the program. Questions will ask about eating behaviors and attitudes, body image, feelings of weight stigma, and mental health.

3. Be contacted through email to remind participants to complete the writing assignments/survey

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 163
• Est. completion date: February 25, 2021
• Est. primary completion date: February 25, 2021
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Female
• Age group: 18 Years to 25 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• women ages 18 to 25 years

• enrolled in postsecondary education at VCU

• endorse some degree of WBI (as measured by the WBI-M) or body image concerns

Exclusion Criteria:

• men

• pregnant women

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Body Image

Intervention

Behavioral:
• body acceptance program
Complete 3 writing exercises over the course of week. Each writing exercise will take approximately 15 minutes to complete
• writing creatively program
Complete 3 writing exercises over the course of week. Each writing exercise will take approximately 15 minutes to complete

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Virginia Commonwealth University	Richmond	Virginia

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Virginia Commonwealth University	Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change in weight bias internalization (WBI)	The Modified Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS-M) is a modified version of the Weight Bias Internalization Scale that was adapted for use with individuals across the weight spectrum. The WBIS-M measures the degree to which individuals apply weight-based stereotypes to themselves and use those to guide their weight self-evaluations. Items are rated on a 7-point scale, with higher scores reflecting greater degrees of weight bias internalization.	baseline to 2 weeks
Secondary	Change in body functionality appreciation	Body functionality appreciation will be assessed using the Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS). The Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS) is a 7-item scale that measures appreciation for the functionality of one's body, which is believed to help offset appearance concerns. Items are rated on a 5-point scale with higher scores reflecting greater appreciation for the functionality of one's body.	baseline to 2 weeks
Secondary	Change in body image dissatisfaction	Body dissatisfaction will be measured using Body-Image Ideals Questionnaire (BIQ. The BIQ is a 22-item measure that assesses appearance satisfaction. This scale examines both perceived discrepancy between one's body image ideal and current appearance as well as the importance of appearance to one's self-concept.	Baseline to 2 weeks
Secondary	Change in objectified body consciousness	Objectified body consciousness will be assessed using the Body Consciousness Scale (OBCS). This is a 24-item measure that assesses the degree to which one experiences their body as an object.	Baseline to 2 weeks
Secondary	Change in self-compassion	Self-Compassion will be assessed using the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF). This is a 12-item measure that assesses the degree to which one is able to hold her or his own feelings of suffering with a sense of warmth, connection, and concern	Baseline to 2 weeks
Secondary	Change in depression	Depression will be assessed using the depression subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21). This measure asks participants to rate the frequency and severity of negative emotions over the previous week. Items are rated on a four-point scale (0 = did not apply to me at all, 3 = applied to me very much or most of the time).	Baseline to 2 weeks
Secondary	Change in anxiety	Anxiety will be assessed using the anxiety subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21). This measure asks participants to rate the frequency and severity of negative emotions over the previous week. Items are rated on a four-point scale (0 = did not apply to me at all, 3 = applied to me very much or most of the time).	Baseline to 2 weeks
Secondary	Change in stress	Stress will be assessed using the stress subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21). This measure asks participants to rate the frequency and severity of negative emotions over the previous week. Items are rated on a four-point scale (0 = did not apply to me at all, 3 = applied to me very much or most of the time).	Baseline to 2 weeks
Secondary	Change in healthcare stress	Healthcare Stress will be assessed using a scale created by weight stigma researchers. This is a five-item scale that was originally adapted for a study on healthcare anxiety in higher weight women. Participants use a 10-point scale (1 = No stress, 10 = Very stressed) to indicate their level of stress when thinking about numerous healthcare encounters.	Baseline to 2 weeks
Secondary	Change in healthcare avoidance	Healthcare Avoidance will be assessed by a four-item scale that measures how often someone avoids healthcare. The measure was adapted for the current study such that we deleted an item about mammograms because it is not relevant to this age group. Also, given the short follow-up period, we assumed that participants' healthcare utilization would not change over the course of the study. Thus, we also modified the rating scale to reflect intent to avoid healthcare. Participants will use a five-point scale (1 = Extremely Likely, 5 = Extremely Unlikely) to indicate their likelihood to utilize numerous healthcare encounters.	Baseline to 2 weeks
Secondary	Change in physical activity acceptance	Physical activity acceptance will be assessed using the Physical Activity Acceptance Questionnaire (PAAQ). The PAAQ is a 10-item measure that assesses participants' ability to accept the discomfort associated with exercising.	Baseline to 2 weeks
Secondary	Change in global eating disorder symptoms	Disordered eating will be assessed using the Eating Disorder Examination - Questionnaire (EDE-Q). The EDE-Q is a 28-item self-report version of the Eating Disorder Examination that measures frequency of disordered eating cognitions and behaviors experienced in the previous 28 days. Participants rate the number of days behaviors have occurred in the last 28 days, with 0 = no days and 6 = every day. Yes/no questions identify the presence of compensatory and binge behaviors and participants indicate the frequency of these behaviors over the last 28 days. Higher EDE-Q scores indicate greater eating pathology.	Baseline to 2 weeks