Understanding how cognitive-behavioral therapy helps treat food avoidance in children and adolescents
Official title: Cognitive and neural mechanisms of cognitive-behavioral therapy for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-10924032 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new type of therapy for kids and teens aged 10-18 who struggle with avoiding certain foods due to fear or anxiety, to see if it helps them feel more comfortable eating a wider variety of foods.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 7, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $1,055,907 |
| NIH project number | 5R61MH129331-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10924032 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children and adolescents aged 10-18 who are diagnosed with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have ARFID or are outside the age range of 10-18 years may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the effectiveness of a specialized cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-AR) designed for children and adolescents with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). The study will involve 50 youth participants aged 10-18, who will be randomly assigned to receive either CBT-AR or nutrition counseling over 15 weekly sessions conducted via telehealth. The goal is to understand how this therapy can reduce food avoidance by targeting both psychological and neural mechanisms related to fear and food neophobia. By using a randomized controlled trial approach, the research aims to provide insights into the treatment of ARFID, which currently lacks evidence-based options.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to an effective treatment for ARFID, improving nutritional intake and overall quality of life for affected youth.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results with cognitive-behavioral therapy for various eating disorders, suggesting potential success for this novel approach to ARFID.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lawson, Elizabeth Austen — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Lawson, Elizabeth Austen
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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.