Uniting Couples in the Treatment of Binge-Eating Disorder



Status:Recruiting
Conditions:Psychiatric
Therapuetic Areas:Psychiatry / Psychology
Healthy:No
Age Range:18 - 99
Updated:1/19/2019
Start Date:January 9, 2019
End Date:January 2021
Contact:Rachel Guerra
Email:unite@unc.edu
Phone:(984) 974-3802

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Targeting Relationship Domains in Community-Based Treatment of Binge-Eating Disorder

The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary
effectiveness of a novel couple-based intervention for binge-eating disorder (BED) relative
to an established evidence-based individual treatment (cognitive-behavioral therapy-enhanced;
CBT-E) in a community clinic setting.

Clinicians' options for BED treatment are inadequate. Treatments for BED have demonstrated
efficacy in controlled settings with specialist therapists and expert supervision, but much
less in known about the effectiveness of BED interventions and whether the transition of
evidence-based treatments to the community results in poorer outcomes. UNITE activates a key
resource by incorporating an important part of the patient's social environment (the partner)
into treatment. The investigators hypothesize that UNITE will show preliminary evidence of
being superior to CBT-E in achieving binge abstinence via engaging ED-related relationship
targets, including improved (a) communication around the disorder, (b) disorder-specific
interpersonal problem-solving/ behavioral change skills, and (c) partner-assisted emotion
regulation. The investigators will assess targeted relationship domains with observational
and speech prosody measures during clinic interactions and self-reports reflecting
experiences outside the clinic. Because the couple is learning how to work together to
address BED, the investigators hypothesize that maintenance of gains will show evidence
consistent with superiority in UNITE.

Inclusion Criteria:

- current Diagnostic and Statistic Manual (DSM-5) criteria for binge-eating disorder
(patient only)

- at least 18 years of age

- English speaking and able to read

- in a committed relationship for at least 6 months regardless of sexual orientation

- live with partner (or are interact with each other daily)

- partner willingness to participate in treatment

- able to travel to Chapel Hill, North Carolina weekly for treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

- alcohol or drug dependence in the past year

- current anorexia nervosa

- current significant suicidal ideation with active suicidal intent

- severe depression that would seriously interfere with functional capacity

- developmental disability that would impair the ability to benefit from the
intervention

- any psychosis, schizophrenia, or bipolar I disorder, unless stably remitted on
maintenance therapy for at least 1 year

- moderate to high reported levels of physical violence from either partner

- unwillingness to forgo non-protocol concurrent couple therapy or individual therapy
(patient only)

- previously participated in the UNITE pilot trial
We found this trial at
1
site
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
(919) 962-2211
Phone: 984-974-3802
Univ of North Carolina Carolina’s vibrant people and programs attest to the University’s long-standing place...
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