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Completed

NCT Number: NCT00928109

UCAN: Uniting Couples in the Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa

UCAN is a research program funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and is part of the UNC Eating Disorders Program. UCAN aims to help couples work together in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Couples participate in UCAN over a period of six months and return for follow-up treatment three months after the end of the original six-month period. Patients receive weekly individual therapy, monthly psychiatry consultations, monthly dietary consultations in addition to being randomized to one of two types of weekly couples therapy. Participation in UCAN can help participants gain new confidence in facing anorexia as a team and can help us understand how best to involve partners in the treatment of eating disorders.

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Key information

Conditions

Anorexia Nervosa Feeding and Eating Disorders Mental Disorders Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms, Digestive

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

UNC Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States

About this study

Patients receive comprehensive eating disorder treatment at the UNC Eating Disorders Outpatient Program in addition to couples therapy. Eligibility: Participants may be eligible if they are 18 or older, have anorexia nervosa and are currently living with a partner with whom they have been in a committed relationship for at least a year. The partner must also be willing to enter treatment.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Anorexia Nervosa,
  • 18 years or older,
  • BMI 16 or higher,
  • In a committed relationship with a partner for 1 year or longer and currently living together.

Exclusion criteria

  • Alcohol or drug dependence in past year,
  • Current significant suicidal ideation,
  • Developmental disability that would impair the ability of the participant to benefit from the intervention,
  • Psychosis,
  • BMI less than 16.

Treatment and study plan

CBCT

Behavioral

Cognitive Behavioral Couples Therapy - weekly manualized couples therapy

Other names: UCAN

Family Supportive Therapy

Behavioral

Couples meet once a week for an hour for a period of 20 weeks for couples therapy. Family Supportive Therapy is not manualized and is the standard form of care at the UNC Eating Disorders Program

Other names: Eating Disorder Treatment as Usual

Primary outcomes

  1. Eating disorder behavior

    Time frame: 9 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Couple Satisfaction

    Time frame: 9 months

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Registry information

Official study title

Innovative Trial for the Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa in Late Adolescence and Adulthood

Acronym: UCAN

Important dates

Study start
2008
Primary completion
2012
Study completion
2012
First posted
Jun 25, 2009
Registry last updated
Nov 9, 2012

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.

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