ENHANCE Study: Critical inner voice and eating disorders

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A study to investigate the experience of having critical thoughts related to weight, shape and eating in patients with eating disorders and healthy controls

• IRAS ID

  242209

• Contact name

  Valentina Cardi

• Contact email

  valentina.cardi@kcl.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  King´s College London

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 0 months, 0 days

• Research summary

  -Background: The experience of hearing an ´Eating Disorder/Anorexic Voice´ in patients who suffer from eating disorders has been documented in previous research. It is usually recognised as internally generated and as a second person commentary. The content is usually related to negative self-attributes and/or on actions and consequences regarding eating, weight, shape and their implications for self-worth. It has been suggested that as a result of these experiences, patients often struggle to engage in treatment and overcome their attempts to modify their eating behaviours.

  -Study Overall Aim: Investigate the experience of hearing a critical inner voice (i.e. ‘Anorexic/Eating Disorder Voice ́) in patients with eating disorders.

  -Study design and aims:
  Phase 1: Cross sectional study to examine the experience of hearing a critical inner voice in patients with eating disorders in comparison to healthy controls.

  Phase 2: Longitudinal study to examine over time (i.e. 12 months) the experience of hearing a critical inner voice in patients with eating disorders.

  -Participants/sample:
  Total sample size: 200 (N=200) participants

  Phase 1- Cross sectional study
  N=120 (60 participants with a diagnosis of an eating disorder & 60 healthy controls).

  Phase 2- Longitudinal study
  N=80 participants (N=80) with a diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa.

  -Data collection and analysis : Online questionnaires will be used to collect the data. Multivariate analysis of variance, segmented regression and latent class analyses will be conducted. In addition, descriptive analysis will be performed.

• REC name

  East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  18/EE/0384

• Date of REC Opinion

  16 Jan 2019

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion