Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Interventional Ages 13 to 17 Women only

Using virtual reality to help female adolescents with anorexia nervosa and body image issues

Official title: Efficiency of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy in the Management of Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Female Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa: a Randomized, Controlled Superiority Study

Run by CHU de Reims · NCT04107870 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing if virtual reality therapy can help teenage girls with anorexia feel better about their body image compared to regular therapy.

More Anorexia Nervosa trials

Quick facts

Study typeInterventional
Ages13 Years to 17 Years
SexWomen only
Enrollment40 (estimated)
SponsorCHU de Reims
Academic / other
Locations1 site (Reims)
StatusRecruiting
StartedJune 20, 2021
Main results expectedMarch 20, 2027
Study endsSeptember 20, 2028
Registry record updatedMarch 8, 2023
Trial IDNCT04107870 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are female adolescents aged 13 to 18 with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and body dysmorphic disorder.

Probably not a fit

Patients with severe medical complications or critical health conditions related to anorexia nervosa will not benefit from this study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This study evaluates the effectiveness of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) in managing body dysmorphic disorder among female adolescents diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. Participants will undergo VRET sessions and compare the outcomes with traditional psychomotor therapy. The study aims to determine if VRET can provide a more effective treatment option for this challenging symptom associated with anorexia. The research is particularly focused on adolescents aged 13 to 18 who are fluent in French and have parental consent to participate.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer a novel and effective treatment for body dysmorphic disorder in adolescents with anorexia nervosa, potentially reducing relapse rates.

How similar studies have gone: While VRET has shown success in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, its application for body dysmorphic disorder in anorexia nervosa is novel and has not been extensively tested.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria :

* Female adolescents aged 13 to 18
* with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa of all types (including purgative and hyperphagic) according to the DSM-V
* French as first language
* agreed to participate in the study
* parental authority holders accepting her participation in the study
* affiliated to a social security system

Patients will not be included in the study:

* with a somatic severity criterion:

  * Total aphagia
  * Body mass index (BMI) \< 14kg/m² for those over 17 years of age, BMI \< 13.2kg/m² for those aged 15-16 and BMI \< 12.7kg/m² for those aged 13-14.
  * Confusion
  * Bradycardia \<40/min, Tachycardia
  * Blood pressure \< 80/50mmHg
  * Hypothermia \<35.5°C
  * Severe metabolic disorders: hypokalemia \< 2.5 mmol/l, hyponatremia \< 125mmol/l or hypernatremia \> 150 mmol/l, hypophosphoremia \< 0.5 mmol/l
  * Acetonuria, hypoglycemia \< 0.6g/l
  * Creatinine elevation \> 100micromol/l
  * Cytolysis \> 4N
  * Leuconeutropenia \<1000/mm3
  * Thrombocytopenia \<6000000/mm3
  * Suicide attempt in the last month before inclusion
  * Receiving benzodiazepine treatment outside the prescription limits.
* Psychotic patients or patients with psychoactive substance addiction according to MINI KID criteria (Sheehan DV et al. Reliability and validity of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for children and adolescents (MINI Kid). J Clin Psychiatry 2010;71(3):313-326).

Where it's running

  • Damien JOLLY
    Reims, France
    Recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.