Weight Self-StigmaPhase 2NCT07862153
Digital Acceptance & Commitment Therapy for Weight Self-stigma
A Phase 2 study testing ACT Guide for Weight Self-Stigma in people with Weight Self-Stigma, run by Utah State University.
Trial summary
Individuals with overweight experience chronic, pervasive stigma, which is a significant contributor to poor health outcomes. The negative consequences of stigma are further worsened among individuals with overweight who internalize and apply stigmatizing attitudes to themselves, a process called weight self-stigma. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Weight Self-Stigma
- What is being tested?
- ACT Guide for Weight Self-Stigma
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 5 Oct 2026to 1 Dec 2027
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Weight self-stigma questionnaire (WSSQ; Lillis et al., 2010) score of 36 or higher as an indicator of high weight self-stigma,
- self-reported BMI > 25 (indicating overweight),
- 18 years or older,
- living in the US,
- reliable access to internet via computer, phone, or tablet,
- interested in completing a self-guided program for weight self-stigma,
- able to read, write, and understand English.
Who cannot join
- No other exclusion criteria.
About this study
Official title: Evaluation of a Single Session Digital ACT Program for Weight Self-stigma
Individuals with overweight experience chronic, pervasive stigma, which is a significant contributor to poor health outcomes. The negative consequences of stigma are further worsened among individuals with overweight who internalize and apply stigmatizing attitudes to themselves, a process called weight self-stigma. Despite its prevalence and consequences, there are notably few evidence-based interventions for weight self-stigma, with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) being the most studied treatment to-date. Previous trials have found ACT effective for addressing weight self-stigma among adults with overweight through a one-day workshop and 10-week group. A self-guided ACT intervention has potential benefits for increasing access and reach of these services, which is supported by positive results in trials evaluating ACT delivered in a self-help book and a digital intervention format. However, these self-guided interventions included weight self-stigma as a more secondary focus and no studies have evaluated a digital ACT intervention designed specifically to address weight self-stigma. The proposed RCT will evaluate a digital ACT single session intervention relative to a waitlist control in a sample of 100 adults reporting overweight and high weight self-stigma.
Read the detailed description
The proposed RCT will evaluate a digital ACT single session intervention relative to a waitlist control in a sample of 100 adults reporting overweight or obesity and high weight self-stigma. Research questions and hypotheses include:
- Is a brief digital ACT intervention focused on reducing weight self-stigma feasible and acceptable in a sample of adults reporting high weight self-stigma? Hypothesis: with a total sample size of n = 100, the study will a) recruit the target sample within one year, b) at least 80% of ACT condition participants will complete the single session intervention, and c) ACT condition participants will provide high program satisfaction ratings (M > 4 "slightly agree" or higher on a 6-point scale).
- Is a brief digital ACT intervention efficacious relative to no intervention (i.e., waitlist) in reducing weight self-stigma (primary outcome) and improving secondary outcomes including mental health, quality of life, and psychological flexibility processes of change? Hypothesis: Participants in the ACT condition will improve significantly over time relative to the waitlist on each outcome from baseline to 4-week follow up. Exploratory outcomes will also be examined related to food noise, physical activity, and motivation to engage in physical activity.
- Conditions
- Weight Self-Stigma
- Being tested
- ACT Guide for Weight Self-Stigma
- Keywords
- Weight Self-Stigma, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, weight bias internalization
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
ACT Guide for Weight Self-StigmaBehavioural
Participants randomized to the ACT condition will be asked to complete the single session program as soon as possible (ideally that day), and a RA will monitor and check in with participants to encourage completion of the single session program. The program will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. The content of the program focuses on cognitive defusion skills to address weight-related judgments and values skills to increase engagement in meaningful activities that are impacted by weight self-stigma.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| ACT | Experimental | Participants assigned to this condition will complete a single session, self-guided digital ACT program. Receives: Behavioral: ACT Guide for Weight Self-Stigma |
| Waitlist | No intervention | Participants who are randomized to the waitlist condition will be informed that they will be given access to the program after the 4-week follow up survey. They will not receive any intervention during the 4-week assessment only period. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire
The Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire (WSSQ) is a 12-item scale measuring weight self-stigma, including both negative attitudes toward oneself based on weight and fear of being stigmatized by others. Each item is rated from 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree), and items are summed to generate a total score. Scores range from 12 to 60 with higher scores indicating higher weight self-stigma.
Measured: Baseline, 2-week, and 4-week follow up
Secondary outcomes (6)
Modified Weight Bias Internalization Scale
This 11-item version of the Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS) will be included as a secondary measure of weight self-stigma to help further probe potential effects of a single session digital ACT program. The WBIS is a commonly used measure of weight self-stigma and including this measure will help further bridge relevant literature on this construct given studies have varied in using the WSSQ or WBIS. Scores range from 11 to 77 with higher scores indicating higher weight self-stigma.
Measured: Baseline, 2-week, and 4-week follow up
Acceptance and Action Questionnaire for Weight-Related Difficulties-Revised
Psychological inflexibility related to weight will be assessed with the 10-item version of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire for Weight-Related Difficulties (AAQW). Scores range from 7 to 70 with higher scores indicating higher psychological inflexibility.
Measured: Baseline, 2-week, and 4-week follow up
Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21
The 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) will be used to assess mental health symptoms. The total score will be reported, which combines the depression, anxiety, and stress subscales. Scores range from 21 to 84 with higher scores indicating higher psychological inflexibility.
Measured: Baseline, 2-week, and 4-week follow up
Work and Social Adjustment Scale
The 5-item Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) will be used to assess perceived functional impairment due to weight self-stigma. This measure is designed to be modified by rating the degree to which a relevant problem (in this case weight self-stigma) interferes with psychosocial functioning (e.g., ability to work, complete home tasks). Scores range from 0 to 40 with higher scores indicating higher functional impairment.
Measured: Baseline, 2-week, and 4-week follow up
Satisfaction With Life Scale
The 5-item Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) will be used as a measure of perceived quality of life. Scores range from 5 to 35 with higher scores indicating higher quality of life.
Measured: Baseline, 2-week, and 4-week follow up
Program satisfaction
At the end of the ACT intervention (post-treatment) participants will answer a series of program satisfaction items based on items used in our previous online ACT trials (Levin et al., 2021). Features of program satisfaction (e.g., overall satisfaction, helpfulness, perceived fit, if the program was too short, etc…), on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). Finally, participants will be asked to type responses to open-ended questions assessing what they learned from the program and areas needing further revision.
Measured: Immediately post-intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Oct 2026
- Study start5 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Dec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Weight Self-StigmaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Utah State University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07862153
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB #11218
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 30 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 13 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Evaluation of a Single Session Digital ACT Program for Weight Self-stigma
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07862153
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB #11218
- Conditions
- Weight Self-Stigma
- Keywords
- Weight Self-Stigma, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, weight bias internalization
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Utah State UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 5 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 1 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 7 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Individuals with overweight experience chronic, pervasive stigma, which is a significant contributor to poor health outcomes. The negative consequences of stigma are further worsened among individuals with overweight who internalize and apply stigmatizing attitudes to themselves, a process called weight self-stigma. Despite its prevalence and consequences, there are notably few evidence-based interventions for weight self-stigma, with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) being the most studied treatment to-date. Previous trials have found ACT effective for addressing weight self-stigma among adults with overweight through a one-day workshop and 10-week group. A self-guided ACT intervention has potential benefits for increasing access and reach of these services, which is supported by positive results in trials evaluating ACT delivered in a self-help book and a digital intervention format. However, these self-guided interventions included weight self-stigma as a more secondary focus and no studies have evaluated a digital ACT intervention designed specifically to address weight self-stigma. The proposed RCT will evaluate a digital ACT single session intervention relative to a waitlist control in a sample of 100 adults reporting overweight and high weight self-stigma.
Detailed description
The proposed RCT will evaluate a digital ACT single session intervention relative to a waitlist control in a sample of 100 adults reporting overweight or obesity and high weight self-stigma. Research questions and hypotheses include:
- Is a brief digital ACT intervention focused on reducing weight self-stigma feasible and acceptable in a sample of adults reporting high weight self-stigma? Hypothesis: with a total sample size of n = 100, the study will a) recruit the target sample within one year, b) at least 80% of ACT condition participants will complete the single session intervention, and c) ACT condition participants will provide high program satisfaction ratings (M > 4 "slightly agree" or higher on a 6-point scale).
- Is a brief digital ACT intervention efficacious relative to no intervention (i.e., waitlist) in reducing weight self-stigma (primary outcome) and improving secondary outcomes including mental health, quality of life, and psychological flexibility processes of change? Hypothesis: Participants in the ACT condition will improve significantly over time relative to the waitlist on each outcome from baseline to 4-week follow up. Exploratory outcomes will also be examined related to food noise, physical activity, and motivation to engage in physical activity.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| ACT | Experimental | Behavioral: ACT Guide for Weight Self-StigmaParticipants assigned to this condition will complete a single session, self-guided digital ACT program. |
| Waitlist | No intervention | –Participants who are randomized to the waitlist condition will be informed that they will be given access to the program after the 4-week follow up survey. They will not receive any intervention during the 4-week assessment only period. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Weight self-stigma questionnaire (WSSQ; Lillis et al., 2010) score of 36 or higher as an indicator of high weight self-stigma,
- self-reported BMI > 25 (indicating overweight),
- 18 years or older,
- living in the US,
- reliable access to internet via computer, phone, or tablet,
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- No other exclusion criteria.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| ACT Guide for Weight Self-StigmaParticipants randomized to the ACT condition will be asked to complete the single session program as soon as possible (ideally that day), and a RA will monitor and check in with participants to encourage completion of the single session program. The program will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. The content of the program focuses on cognitive defusion skills to address weight-related judgments and values skills to increase engagement in meaningful activities that are impacted by weight self-stigma. | Behavioural | ACT |
Primary outcome
Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire
Time frame: Baseline, 2-week, and 4-week follow up
The Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire (WSSQ) is a 12-item scale measuring weight self-stigma, including both negative attitudes toward oneself based on weight and fear of being stigmatized by others. Each item is rated from 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree), and items are summed to generate a total score. Scores range from 12 to 60 with higher scores indicating higher weight self-stigma.
6 secondary outcomes
Modified Weight Bias Internalization Scale
Time frame: Baseline, 2-week, and 4-week follow up
Acceptance and Action Questionnaire for Weight-Related Difficulties-Revised
Time frame: Baseline, 2-week, and 4-week follow up
Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21
Time frame: Baseline, 2-week, and 4-week follow up
Work and Social Adjustment Scale
Time frame: Baseline, 2-week, and 4-week follow up
Satisfaction With Life Scale
Time frame: Baseline, 2-week, and 4-week follow up
Program satisfaction
Time frame: Immediately post-intervention
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Weight Self-Stigma
Active, not recruiting
Mindfulness-Based Nutrition Group Therapy as an Adjunct to GLP-1 Treatment of Obesity
Obesity & Overweight, Emotional Eating Behaviour
Not yet recruiting
Effect of A Theory-based Multicomponent eHealth Intervention Program
Overweight , Obesity
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 2 study testing ACT Guide for Weight Self-Stigma in people with Weight Self-Stigma, run by Utah State University.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire (time frame: Baseline, 2-week, and 4-week follow up). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Oct 2026.