Online guided family-based program for adolescents with anorexia nervosa
Official title: Confirming the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Online Guided Self-Help Family-Based Treatment for Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11385617 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers an online guided family-based program to help adolescents with anorexia nervosa improve symptoms while using much less therapist time than standard family therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $131,269 |
| NIH project number | 3R01MH130388-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11385617 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adolescents with anorexia nervosa who are medically stable for outpatient treatment, have an adult caregiver willing to participate, and can use online tools would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Adults, patients requiring inpatient or medical stabilization, or those without caregiver support or reliable internet access may not benefit from this outpatient online approach.
What this research studies
You and your family would be offered a guided self-help version of Family-Based Treatment delivered online and compared to therapist-delivered family therapy in typical clinical settings. Families will be enrolled and followed over time while researchers track weight, eating-related thoughts and behaviors, safety, and how much therapist time each approach requires. The study builds on pilot work that showed similar clinical improvements but with the guided program using about 75% less therapist time. The goal is to confirm these findings in a larger, generalizable sample so more families could access effective care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could expand access to effective family-based care for teen anorexia and reduce the amount of clinician time needed.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier case series, pilot studies, and a multisite randomized feasibility trial found similar clinical improvements for the guided program compared with standard family therapy and much greater efficiency in therapist time.
Where this research is happening
-
Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lock, James D — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Lock, James D
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.