Trial reportJournal of medical Internet research2018
Efficacy of a Parent-Based, Indicated Prevention for Anorexia Nervosa: Randomized Controlled Trial.
Trial report in Journal of medical Internet research, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Beyond Clicks: A Systematic Review of How Engagement is Defined, Predicted, and Linked to Child Outcomes in Self-directed eHealth Preventive Parenting Programs.Prevention science : the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research · 2025Pooled it
- Evaluating reach, adoption, implementation and maintenance of Internet-based interventions to prevent eating disorders in adolescents: a systematic review.European journal of public health · 2020Pooled it
- Evaluation of a novel eating disorder prevention program for young women with type 1 diabetes: A preliminary randomized trial.Diabetes research and clinical practice · 2023Trial
- An experimental test of increasing implementation support for college peer educators delivering an evidence-based prevention program.Journal of consulting and clinical psychology · 2023Trial
- Leveraging Technology to Enhance Eating Disorder Treatment Outcomes.The Psychiatric clinics of North America · 2026Review
- Parents of Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa and Parents of Adult Women with Anorexia Nervosa.Nutrients · 2025Article
- Prevention and early intervention in eating disorders: findings from a rapid review.Journal of eating disorders · 2023Review
- A Narrative Review of Early Intervention for Eating Disorders: Barriers and Facilitators.Adolescent health, medicine and therapeutics · 2023Review
- Virtual prevention of eating disorders in children, adolescents, and emerging adults: a scoping review.Journal of eating disorders · 2022Article
- Evaluation of the Effects of Telepsychotherapy in the Treatment and Prevention of Eating Disorders in Adolescents.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Review
- Online interventions to prevent mental health problems implemented in school settings: the perspectives from key stakeholders in Austria and Spain.European journal of public health · 2021Article
- A Brief Modified Family-Based Treatment Intervention for Youth With Mild Eating Disorders: A Case Series.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2020Article
- Family-Based Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa Symptoms in High-Risk Youth: A Partially-Randomized Preference-Design Study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundWeb-based preventive interventions can reduce risk and incidence of bulimia and binge eating disorders among young high-risk women. However, their specific effects on core symptoms of anorexia nervosa (AN) are rather weak.
objectiveThe primary objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an indicated, parent-based, Web-based preventive program Eltern als Therapeuten (E@T) in reducing risk factors and symptoms of AN.
methodsGirls aged between 11 and 17 years were screened by selected risk factors and early symptoms of AN. At-risk families were then randomized to E@T or an assessment-only control condition. Assessments took place at pre- and postintervention (6 weeks later) and at 6- and 12-month follow-up (FU).
resultsA total of 12,377 screening questionnaires were handed out in 86 German schools, and 3941 including consent returned. Overall, 477 (447/3941, 12.10%) girls were identified as at risk for AN and 256 of those could be contacted. In all, 66 families (66/256, 25.8% of those contacted) were randomized to the E@T or a wait-list control condition, 43 (43/66, 65%) participated in postassessments, and 27 (27/66, 41%) in 12-month FUs. Due to low participation and high dropout rates of parents, recruitment was terminated prematurely. At 12-month FU, girls' expected body weight (EBW) percentage was significantly greater for intervention participants compared with control participants (group by time interaction beta=21.0 [CI 5.81 to 36.13], P=.007; group by time squared interaction beta=-15.5 [CI -26.6 to -4.49], P=.007; estimated Cohen d=0.42]. No other significant effects were found on risk factors and attitudes of disturbed eating.
conclusionsDespite a significant increase in girls' EBW percentage, parental participation and adherence to the intervention were low. Overall, parent-based, indicated prevention for children at risk for AN does not seem very promising, although it might be useful for parents who engage in the intervention.
trial registrationInternational Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 18614564; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN18614564 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/74FTV1EpF).
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.