Incorporating Narrative Into the Treatment of Youth With Anorexia Nervosa (Virtual)
Key facts
- Who runs it
- University of California, San Francisco
- Where
- San Francisco, United StatesSee the site
- Trial code
- Status
- Recruiting
- People taking part
- 10 people, planned
- Started
- 2 Oct 2026
- Expected to end
- 1 Jul 2027
- Type of study
- Interventional
- Treatments tested
- Narrative Medicine (NM) Workshop Series
- Record updated
- 6 October 2026
Who can take part
- Age
- 16 years to 25 years
- Sex
- Women and men
- Healthy volunteers
- Cannot take part
The registry criteria, word for word
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Who can take part
- 16-25 years old
- have a DSM-5 diagnosis of AN (confirmed by the UCSF Eating Disorders Program clinical team),
- currently engaged in outpatient eating disorder treatment, ensuring medical stability and capacity for a group-based intervention
- English fluency to engage in reflective writing and discussions
- Cognitive ability to meaningfully participate in narrative-based exercises
Who cannot take part
- History of psychosis, schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or personality disorder
- Severe neurocognitive impairment that would prevent engagement with the intervention
- Currently medically unstable or require inpatient hospitalization
- Active suicidal ideation or non-suicidal self-injury within the past two months
- Insufficient English proficiency to participate in group discussions and writing exercises
Check if you might fit
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 16 and 25 years old?
Where in United States
- UCSF Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry BuildingSan Francisco, United StatesContact: Sara Buckelew, MD, MPHTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether a narrative medicine (NM) curriculum can enhance self-expression, reflection, and resilience in adolescents and young adults with anorexia nervosa.
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The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Does participation in an NM curriculum improve self-expression and reflection in individuals with anorexia nervosa? * Does engaging in creative writing and group discussion promote resilience and emotional processing in this population?
Participants will be 16-25 years old, medically stable for outpatient eating disorder therapy, and actively engaged in treatment. Those with active suicidal ideation, recent non-suicidal self-injury, or a co-occurring personality disorder will not be eligible.
Participants will:
* Attend six weekly workshops focused on themes such as self-definition, kindness, resilience, and possibility * Engage in close reading of visual or written texts * Complete creative writing exercises in response to prompts * Participate in group discussions and sharing
An optional capstone reading event will provide a supportive space for participants to share their work with peers, loved ones, and providers, fostering connection and community.
This study aims to explore the role of narrative medicine in eating disorder treatment and assess its potential benefits for psychological well-being and self-expression.
The group in the trial
- Narrative Medicine (NM) Workshop SeriesTreatment being tested
Participants in this study will take part in a six-week Narrative Medicine (NM) curriculum designed to enhance self-expression, reflection, and resilience in individuals with anorexia nervosa. Workshops will be conducted weekly on Zoom and will include: * Close reading of visual or written texts related to themes such as self-definition, resilience, kindness, and possibility * Creative writing exercises in response to structured prompts * Group discussions and sharing to foster community, connection, and self-expression
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Incorporating Narrative Into the Treatment of Youth With Anorexia Nervosa
- Fit questions
- Built from NCT07579442, who can take part
- Record updated
- 6 October 2026