Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of the HADAS Program for the Prevention of Eating Disorders in Adolescent Female Athletes, Coaches, and Families.

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

The HADAS Program: A synchronized, multi-level psychoeducational prevention program designed to target eating disorder risk and body image dissatisfaction across the sports triangle (athletes, coaches, and families). Content focuses on media literacy, healthy life habits, emotional management, deconstructing body-weight myths in aesthetic sports, and promoting autonomy-supportive coaching and family environments

Study summary

Adolescent female athletes in aesthetic sports disciplines (such as rhythmic gymnastics, artistic gymnastics, synchronized swimming, and figure skating) face a complex interaction between general sociocultural beauty pressures and sport-specific aesthetic demands (e.g., the 'slim to win' culture and weight-focused performance expectations). These combined pressures significantly increase their risk of developing body dissatisfaction and eating disorders (EDs). To address these systemic vulnerabilities, the HADAS Program (Habits, Eating, Sports, Adolescents, and Health) was developed as a multi-level, synchronized psychoeducational intervention designed to target the complete "sports triangle": adolescent female athletes, their technical coaches, and their immediate family members. The primary objective of this cluster randomized controlled trial (cluster RCT) is to evaluate the efficacy of the HADAS Program in reducing eating disorder risk (EAT-26) and body image dissatisfaction (BSQ-34) among competitive adolescent female athletes aged 12 to 16 years. Sports clubs are randomly assigned to either the Experimental Group (receiving the HADAS intervention) or a Waitlist Control Group (maintaining standard training). The program includes 5 interactive group sessions for athletes, 4 reflective workshops for coaches, and 2 structured sessions for family members, all supported by cohort-specific workbooks. Outcomes are evaluated across four longitudinal time points: Baseline (T0), Immediate Post-intervention (T1), 6-month Follow-up (T2), and 12-month Follow-up (T3).

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Eating Disorder Risk and Symptomatology — Baseline (T0), Immediate Post-intervention (T1), 6-month Follow-up (T2), and 12-month Follow-up (T3).
  Evaluated using the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26; Garner et al., 1982; Spanish validation by Rivas et al., 2010). It assesses eating disorder risk behaviors and attitudes across 26 items. Total scores range from 0 to 78, where higher scores indicate greater eating disorder risk and symptomatology (a worse outcome) . Scores of 20 or higher indicate the presence of significant risk attitudes toward eating.
• Body Image Dissatisfaction — Baseline (T0), Immediate Post-intervention (T1), 6-month Follow-up (T2), and 12-month Follow-up (T3).
  Evaluated using the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ-34; Cooper et al., 1987; Spanish validation by Raich et al., 1996). It assesses body dissatisfaction and concern with weight and shape across 34 items. Total scores range from 34 to 204, where higher scores indicate greater body dissatisfaction and psychological distress regarding body image (a worse outcome). Scores are categorized into no dissatisfaction (\<80), mild (80-110), moderate (111-140), and severe (\>140), with moderate and severe categories indicating significant body image vulnerability.

Trial sites (1)

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