SOOTH-ED

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  SOOTH-ED: Purrble's Soothing Touch for Eating Disorders and Autism

• IRAS ID

  333898

• Contact name

  Kate Tchanturia

• Contact email

  kate.tchanturia@kcl.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  King’s College London

• Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

  NCT07007481

• Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

  DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/4UKFW, N/a

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 3 months, 6 days

• Research summary

  BACKGROUND:
  Eating Disorders (EDs) profoundly affect numerous lives across the UK, with reports indicating as many as 725,000 cases, incurring significant economic costs. Notably, around 30% of individuals with EDs also display traits of autism, which can exacerbate the complexity of treatments and inflate associated costs. These individuals frequently face difficulties with emotion regulation and sensory processing, which can exacerbate their distress and create considerable barriers in therapeutic settings, notably affecting patient retention and engagement. Additionally, the overwhelming demand for specialized care has led to extensive waiting times, often exceeding 18 months before patients can access treatment. This extended waiting period represents a substantial lapse in receiving crucial support, emphasizing the need for innovative interventions that can provide immediate relief and continuous care throughout this interim.

  AIMS:
  This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic advantages of the Purrble intervention - a tangible device designed to facilitate emotion regulation - for patients awaiting formal outpatient treatment for Eating Disorders. The findings will offer healthcare professionals valuable insights into the efficacy and practicality of incorporating the Purrble device to support ED patients during the waiting period.

  SETTING:
  The research will be conducted with adult patients on the waiting list for ED outpatient Edult service at the South London & Maudsley NHS Trust (SLaM), with data analysis being performed at the Department of Psychological Medicine, King’s College London.

  APPROACH:
  This study adopts a 2-arm randomized controlled trial design, contrasting the outcomes of an intervention group using the Purrble device with a control group on the waiting list for formal outpatient ED treatment. The duration of the trial is 6 weeks, with an 8-week follow-up period.

• REC name

  London - City & East Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  24/LO/0100

• Date of REC Opinion

  5 Feb 2024

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion