Eating disorder psychopathology was assessed using the self-report Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). The EDE-Q Global score was calculated as the mean of the Restraint, Eating Concern, Shape Concern, and Weight Concern subscales (items scored 0-6), with higher scores indicating greater severity of eating disorder symptoms.
Baseline
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
3.75
± 1.11
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
3.93
± 1.07
Control Group
3.71
± 1.17
6-Week follow-up
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
3.50
± 1.23
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
3.30
± 1.36
Control Group
2.91
± 1.19
3-Month follow-up (end of intervention)
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
2.92
± 1.46
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
2.89
± 1.50
Control Group
3.01
± 1.31
6-Month follow-up (3-Month post intervention)
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
2.54
± 1.61
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
2.57
± 1.50
Control Group
2.78
± 1.22
Quality of Life ScoresSecondary· Baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months
Health-related quality of life was assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 Generic Core Scales. The total score ranges from 0 to 100 and is calculated as the mean of all answered items (i.e., sum of transformed item scores divided by the number of items answered), with higher scores indicating better quality of life (fewer problems).
Baseline
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
50.63
± 16.37
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
54.37
± 15.37
Control Group
52.65
± 19.01
6-week
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
55.97
± 15.53
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
53.29
± 20.61
Control Group
49.96
± 14.95
3-month
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
58.32
± 14.68
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
56.30
± 18.88
Control Group
53.51
± 16.73
6-month
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
65.36
± 20.08
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
61.47
± 17.34
Control Group
56.39
± 16.81
Total Time Spent on the AppSecondary· 3 months
Among participants who logged in at least once, the total time spent on the app was collected and measured in seconds.
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
Participants' depression symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8). This questionnaire includes eight items with scores ranging from 0 to 24 (the ninth item assessing suicidal ideation was removed, consistent with other remote and digital health studies among teens). The total score ranges from 0 to 24, with a higher score indicating more severe depressive symptoms.
Baseline
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
14.98
± 5.43
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
14.98
± 5.44
Control Group
14.86
± 6.19
6-week
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
13.08
± 5.54
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
14.51
± 6.50
Control Group
13.21
± 5.78
3-month
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
11.06
± 6.12
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
11.85
± 7.42
Control Group
12.19
± 6.06
6-month
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
Anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED; 41 items). Participants rated each item based on how true it was for the last 3 months (0 = not true/hardly ever true, 1 = somewhat true/sometimes true, 2 = very true/often true).
The total score is the sum of all items (range 0-82). Higher scores indicate more severe anxiety symptoms.
Baseline
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
47.60
± 16.12
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
42.27
± 12.00
Control Group
45.33
± 19.07
6-week
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
39.29
± 11.73
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
45.21
± 19.85
Control Group
46.95
± 17.55
3-month
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
36.86
± 12.41
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
43.56
± 18.18
Control Group
43.92
± 17.30
6-month
Group
Value
95% CI
Experimental Group A- Mobile App With Social Networking Feature
34.30
± 14.58
Experimental Group B- Mobile App Only
36.89
± 19.35
Control Group
42.97
± 17.68
Sponsor's own description
Clinical or subclinical eating disorders (EDs) impact 10% of individuals in their lifetime and are marked by significant functional impairment, early mortality, chronicity, and emotional distress. ED symptoms often emerge in adolescence, with peak onset age in the teenage years. Early recognition and treatment of these devastating illnesses are needed to prevent long-term consequences and a chronic course. Most (80%) individuals with EDs, including teens with EDs (TwEDs), do not receive treatment. Due to major barriers to access and to the delivery of treatment for TwEDs, there is a need for a new model of service delivery that can identify and help TwEDs. We demonstrated our ability to harness social media to identify and efficiently recruit large numbers of TwEDs. Our team has successfully developed a guided self-help cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based mobile app for previous studies and have adapted this app to address the specific needs of TwEDs. In proposed study, we will test this updated mHealth intervention, which includes simplified language and tailored content relevant to adolescent issues and a social networking feature designed to facilitate group exchanges. This mHealth intervention will be investigated among 161 TwEDs recruited from Instagram/Facebook to test preliminary efficacy and feasibility of this mHealth intervention to improved eating disorder symptoms among TwEDs not currently engaged in treatment. We will also garnering feedback via a mixed methods approach on the efficiency, technical effectiveness, and satisfaction with mHealth intervention content and features. Participants will be randomized to one of 3 study arms, including a control group (self-help version of the app), a group with access to the coached mobile app only, and a group with access to the coached mobile app plus social networking feature. We hypothesized that those with access to the coached mobile app intervention will have improved ED outcomes in comparison to the control group, and that those with access to the additional social networking feature will have the most improvement in ED symptoms out of all three groups.
Publications & conference data
1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):
Publications: Europe PMC API search by NCT ID, retrieved 10 June 2026
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Sponsor: as reported to ClinicalTrials.gov by Washington University School of Medicine
Last refreshed: 9 March 2026
Drug Landscape aggregates and links these public records for informational use only. Always verify against the primary source before clinical or regulatory decisions. Canonical URL: https://druglandscape.com/trial/NCT04636840.