Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT06896435

Smart-Phone Safety Behavior Fading Intervention for Appearance Concerns (Open ARSB Study)

The current study aims to explore the efficacy of a text message based safety behavior fading intervention compared to a relaxing video intervention for appearance concerns.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Body Dysmorphic Disorder Anxiety Disorders Body Dysmorphic Disorders Eating Disorders Feeding and Eating Disorders Mental Disorders Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Phobia, Social Phobic Disorders Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms, Digestive Social Anxiety Disorder Somatoform Disorders

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida, 32304, United States

About this study

Description: Appearance-related safety behavior fading intervention procedures will follow methodology previously used in the Cougle Lab. The safety behavior fading intervention is designed to target a decrease or elimination of appearance-related safety behaviors. Individuals randomly assigned to the safety behavior fading condition will receive instructions to decrease or eliminate their endorsed appearance-related safety behaviors. In addition, they will receive daily reminders via text message to decrease these behaviors, along with a safety behavior monitoring checklist in which the participant indicates the extent to which they decreased and/or eliminated each safety behavior over the previous day. The daily reminder will include the following language: "Hi! This is a friendly reminder to avoid using your checklist behaviors. Please tap the link below to access today's checklist: [link to checklist]." Text messages will be delivered using EZtexting a text messaging platform used for research and marketing. Note that no identifying information will be included in this platform. Each participants phone number will be accompanied with a anonymized ID code. Individuals randomly assigned to the relaxing video condition will receive a total of 4 videos over the course of a month (1 video per week, 15 minutes each) wherein participants will be invited to close their eyes and focus their attention on the present moment while listening to relaxing piano music and songbirds.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Seeking treatment for appearance concerns

Exclusion criteria

  • Currently receiving treatment (therapy, counseling, etc.) for anxiety, depression, eating disorder, or body image/appearance concerns
  • If applicable, unstable psychiatric medication usage any time over the past 4 weeks

Treatment and study plan

Safety Behavior Fading for Appearance Concerns

Behavioral

Participants are asked to reduce or eliminate safety behaviors via text message reminders and checklists to monitor progress.

Relaxing Video

Behavioral

Participants are asked to view weekly videos lasting 15 minutes each to engage in relaxation exercises.

Primary outcomes

  1. The Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS; Hart et al., 2008)

    Time frame: Day 0, Day 28, Day 56

    Self-report scale that measures appearance anxiety symptoms. Scores range from 16 to 80 with higher scores indicating higher levels of appearance concerns.

  2. Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN; Connor et al., 2000)

    Time frame: Day 0, Day 28, Day 56

    Self-report scale that measures social anxiety symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 68 with higher scores indicating higher levels of social anxiety.

  3. Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire (Devilly & Borkovec, 2000).

    Time frame: Day 0

    Self-report scale for measuring treatment expectancy and rationale credibility for use in clinical outcome studies. Three items are rated on a 0-10 scale and one item is rated on a 0-100 scale with higher scores meaning greater expectancy and credibility.

  4. Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI; Garner et al., 1983).

    Time frame: Day 0, Day 28, Day 56

    Self-report scale for measuring drive for thinness, bulimia, and body dissatisfaction for use in clinical outcome studies. Each item is rated on a 0-5 scale with a total score range of 0-125 with higher scores indicating greater drive for thinness, bulimia, and body dissatisfaction.

  5. Appearance Behaviors Checklist past-week version (author constructed)

    Time frame: Day 0, Day 28, Day 56

    Self-report scale used to measure frequency of engaging in appearance-related safety behaviors. This scale will be used as a manipulation check. Each item is rated on a 0 to 10 scale. Total scores range from 0 to 130 with higher scores indicating greater engagement in appearance-related safety behaviors

Secondary outcomes

  1. Distress Intolerance Index (McHugh & Otto, 2012)

    Time frame: Day 0, Day 28, Day 56

    Self-report scale for measuring tolerance to distress for use in clinical outcome studies. Each item is rated on a 0-4 scale with a total score range of 0-40 with higher scores indicating greater intolerance of distress.

  2. Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-Concerns over mistakes subscale (Frost et al., 1990)

    Time frame: Day 0, Day 28, Day 56

    Self-report scale for measuring concerns for making mistakes for use in clinical outcome studies. Each item is rated on a 0-4 scale with a total score range of 0-36 with higher scores indicating greater concerns for making mistakes.

  3. Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-10 (CESD; Andreson, 1994)

    Time frame: Day 0, Day 28, Day 56

    Self-report measure of depression symptom severity. Each item is rated on a 0 to 3 scale. Total scores range from 0 to 30 with higher scores indicating greater depression severity.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Florida State University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Smart-Phone Safety Behavior Fading Intervention for Appearance Concerns

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Mar 26, 2025
Registry last updated
Sep 15, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.