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. 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.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
10
The Narrative Medicine (NM) Workshop Series is a structured six-week behavioral intervention designed to enhance self-expression, reflection, and resilience in adolescents and young adults recovering from eating disorders. This intervention differs from traditional psychotherapeutic or psychoeducational approaches by integrating literary analysis, creative writing, and guided discussion as therapeutic tools. Each one-hour weekly workshop includes: * 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 that encourage self-reflection and personal storytelling * Facilitated group discussions to foster connection, self-expression, and emotional processing in a supportive environment
UCSF Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building
San Francisco, California, United States
Number of participants in each session
Feasibility will be measured by participant retention in intervention.
Time frame: Immediately post-intervention (Week 6)
Satisfaction with intervention components using 5-point Likert scales and semi-structured individual interviews
Acceptability will be measured by questionnaire including 5-point Likert scales and semi-structured individual interviews assessing content relevance, writing prompts, group discussions, and facilitation. Scale title: Intervention Satisfaction Questionnaire (ISQ) Minimum value: 1 (Strongly Disagree) Maximum value: 5 (Strongly Agree) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction with the intervention (better outcome).
Time frame: Immediately post-intervention (Week 6)
Illness-Identity Centrality
Assessed using the Illness Identity Questionnaire, which evaluates self-concept clarity and personal identity coherence. Scale title: Illness Identity Questionnaire (IIQ) Minimum value: 1 (Strongly Disagree) Maximum value: 5 (Strongly Agree) Interpretation: Subscale scores reflect distinct illness identity states; higher scores indicate greater endorsement of that identity orientation
Time frame: Pre- (Week 0) and immediately post-intervention (Week 6)
Social Connectedness
Measured using the Social Connectedness Scale (SCS), which assesses perceived closeness to others and sense of belonging. Scale title: Social Connectedness Scale (SCS) Minimum value: 1 (Strongly Disagree) Maximum value: 6 (Strongly Agree) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater feelings of social connectedness and belonging (better outcome).
Time frame: Pre- (Week 0) and immediately post-intervention (Week 6)
Depression Symptoms
Measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depressive symptoms. Scale title: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) Minimum value: 0 (Not at all) Maximum value: 3 (Nearly every day) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater severity of depressive symptoms (worse outcome).
Time frame: Pre- (Week 0) and immediately post-intervention (Week 6)
Anxiety Symptoms
Measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety. Scale title: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) Scale Minimum value: 0 (Not at all) Maximum value: 3 (Nearly every day) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater severity of anxiety symptoms (worse outcome).
Time frame: Pre- (Week 0) and immediately post-intervention (Week 6)
Eating Disorder Severity
Measured using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), which captures cognitive and behavioral symptoms of AN, and percent of expected body weight (EBW) at follow-up. Scale title: Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) Minimum value: 0 (No days / Not at all) Maximum value: 6 (Every day / Extremely) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater severity of eating disorder psychopathology (worse outcome).
Time frame: Pre- (Week 0) and immediately post-intervention (Week 6)
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