Eating Disorders: Online Self-help & Usual Treatment (TAU) vs TAU Only

University of Edinburgh

Status: Completed

Conditions: Bulimia Nervosa; Anorexia Nervosa; Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder; Binge Eating Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: "Smart Eating" internet-based self-help programme

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03107221

2015MH19

Details and patient eligibility

About

A pilot study exploring whether individuals receiving usual treatment (CBT) from the specialist NHS Tayside Eating Disorders Service and accessing the online self-help "Smart Eating" programme have improved treatment outcomes compared to those receiving usual treatment only. The study will also explore acceptability of the "Smart Eating" self-help programme via a feedback questionnaire.

Full description

This controlled-comparison pilot study will explore whether individuals receiving usual treatment (CBT) from the specialist NHS Tayside Eating Disorders Service and accessing the online self-help "Smart Eating" programme have improved treatment outcomes compared to those receiving usual treatment only. All participants would be involved in the trial for 6 months, capturing their motivation for change, eating disorder psychopathology and quality of life at four time-points (pre-treatment, mid-treatment, end of treatment, 3-month follow-up). Some participants may continue to receive usual treatment after study end, which will be detailed in the study analysis. Following trial completion, all participants will be able to access the "Smart Eating" programme. The study will also explore acceptability of the "Smart Eating" self-help programme via a feedback questionnaire to inform programme adaptations and a possible pragmatic randomised controlled trial planned for the future. Currently, no other UK study is piloting the use of the "Smart Eating" programme as an adjunct to specialist NHS eating disorder treatment.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• aged 16-65 years
• meet diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder
• commencing treatment under the NHS Tayside Eating Disorders Service
• fluent in English
• provide written consent
• literate to the extent of understanding self-report questionnaires & following verbal instructions
• access to a computer

Exclusion criteria

• deemed too emotionally or physically frail to participate by clinical staff;
• currently presenting with active suicidal intent;
• unable to read English or follow verbal English instructions.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Access to online self-help programme "Smart Eating" along with usual treatment from a specialist eating disorder service

Treatment:

Behavioral: "Smart Eating" internet-based self-help programme

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Usual treatment from a specialist eating disorder service