An AI chatbot to help teens and young adults with eating disorders manage anxiety about weight gain
Official title: Developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Powered Exposure Therapy Chatbot for Adolescents and Young Adults With Eating Disorders
Run by Milton S. Hershey Medical Center · NCT07237607 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test an AI-powered chatbot that delivers exposure-based exercises to help adolescents and young adults in a partial hospitalization program reduce anxiety about weight gain.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 12 Years to 26 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 20 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Hershey, Pennsylvania) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 23, 2026 |
| Main results expected | June 30, 2027 |
| Study ends | June 30, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | April 15, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07237607 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are English-speaking adolescents and young adults (ages 12–26) admitted to the Penn State PHP or IOP with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, or OSFED who own a personal smartphone.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with ARFID, acute suicidality, an intellectual disability, without a smartphone, or not enrolled in the Penn State PHP/IOP are unlikely to enroll or benefit from this intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Researchers will enroll 20 adolescents and young adults (ages 12–26) entering the Penn State Health Eating Disorder Partial Hospitalization or Intensive Outpatient Program and give them access to the Exp-ED chatbot as a supplement during their first six weeks of care. Participants will complete assessments every two weeks including semi-structured interviews, implementation outcomes (feasibility, usability, acceptability), and measures of anxiety about weight gain. The team will use mixed-methods data and the FRAME framework to iteratively adapt the chatbot and document modifications. Success will be judged against pre-specified benchmarks derived from prior mental health chatbot research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the chatbot could provide patients a convenient, private tool to practice exposure exercises and reduce anxiety about weight gain alongside standard PHP/IOP treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Prior mental health chatbots have demonstrated feasibility and user engagement, but exposure-based chatbots specifically tailored for eating disorders are novel and remain largely untested in clinical populations.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Age is between or equal to 12-26 years * Admitted to the Penn State Health Eating Disorder Partial Hospital Program (PHP) or Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) * Have a personal smartphone * Have a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge-eating disorder (BED), or other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED) * Be English speaking Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) * Have acute suicidality * Diagnosis of an intellectual disability
Where it's running
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Penn State College of Medicine
Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Jamal H Essayli, PhD
- Email: jessayli@pennstatehealth.psu.edu
- Phone: (717) 531-0003
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.