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Purrble's Soothing Touch for Eating Disorders and Autism

NCT07007481 · Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 200

Last updated 2025-06-05

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The purpose of this study is to explore the potential therapeutic benefits of the Purrble intervention, a tangible device designed to assist with in-situ emotion regulation, for individuals on the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (SLaM) Eating Disorders outpatient service waiting list. By examining its effects on emotion regulation, sensory sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and motivation for treatment engagement, the study seeks to offer empirical evidence on the efficacy of the Purrble as a supportive tool while patients are on the waiting list for formal outpatient treatment.

Conditions

Interventions

DEVICE

Purrble

The intervention takes the form of an interactive plush toy, which was co-designed with children to support in-the-moment soothing. The device is framed as an anxious creature, in need of care and attention when it feels distressed. This distress is indicated by a simulated heartbeat using embedded electronics to produce vibration patterns of i) frantic and anxious, to ii) slow, steady and relaxed. When held, the device emits a frantic heartbeat which can be slowed by stroking movements registered by embedded sensors. Once the device has been "soothed" for long enough, the heartbeat transitions into a purring vibration indicating a relaxed state. This transition can be achieved in under 1 minute but is dependent on the device-human interaction.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • Kate Tchantura, PhD · King's College London

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2024-02-08
Primary Completion
2025-10-31
Completion
2025-11-30

Countries

  • United Kingdom

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07007481 on ClinicalTrials.gov