Evaluating the feasibility and potential efficacy of a brief eTherapy for binge‐eating disorder: A pilot study
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: For those with binge-eating disorder (BED), access to evidence-based, face-to-face treatment is often constrained by clinician availability and high treatment costs. Emerging evidence suggests online therapy (eTherapy) may navigate these barriers and reduce binge-eating symptomatology; however, less evaluation has been done in those with BED, particularly with briefer programs targeting early change. This study investigated the feasibility and potential efficacy of a brief, supported eTherapy in those with BED or subthreshold BED. METHOD: Participants were 19 women with BED who completed a four-session eTherapy. This was a single-arm, pre-post intervention study, with participants completing weekly content and attending telehealth sessions. Key outcomes were assessed by the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire-Short (EDE-QS): objective binge episode days, loss of control over eating days, and eating disorder (ED) psychopathology via a total EDE-QS score. RESULTS: Generalized and linear mixed models showed significantly reduced loss of control over eating days and ED psychopathology. Program feasibility was high, with strong program adherence and a below average attrition rate. DISCUSSION: Pilot results support the feasibility and potential efficacy of a brief, behavioral-focused eTherapy program in reducing ED pathology in those with BED. Future research should further investigate findings in an adequately powered randomized controlled trial. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: This study suggests that a brief, behavioral-focused online therapy, guided by non-expert clinicians, can be successfully administered to those with binge-eating disorder (BED) and may be efficacious at reducing eating disorder and other related symptomatology. Brief eTherapies that are effective, accessible, and rapidly available may facilitate earlier intervention in illness and improve treatment outcomes for individuals who experience this common and distressing disorder.
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A preliminary evaluation of the SSH-BEeT program found promising reductions in key ED symptomatology in individuals with BED who completed the first four sessions (Brief SSH BEeT).
“A preliminary evaluation of the program found promising reductions in key ED symptomatology in individuals with BED who completed the first four sessions of treatment, which comprise the Brief Supported Self-Help BEeT Program (Brief SSH BEeT) (32).”
From The acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of a supported online self-help treatment program for binge-eating disorder (2023) · cites this paper as [32]
The dropout rate (26%) was lower than the average rate of 32% estimated in a meta-analysis of BED eTherapies and comparable to the rates of 21 and 16% found in the pilots of the briefer, four-session version of this eTherapy in individuals with BED and BN.
“The dropout rate (26%) was lower than the average rate of 32% estimated in a meta-analysis of BED eTherapies (57) and comparable to the rates of 21 and 16% found in the pilots of the briefer, four-session version of this eTherapy in individuals with BED and BN (32, 54).”
From The acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of a supported online self-help treatment program for binge-eating disorder (2023) · cites this paper as [32]
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- Authors
- Rom, S., Miskovic‐Wheatley, J., Barakat, S., Aouad, P., Fuller‐Tyszkiewicz, M., & Maguire, S.
- Affiliations
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- Deakin University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Rom, Sean
- ORCID
- Venue
- International Journal of Eating Disorders
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2022-08-20
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1614-1620
- ISSN
- 0276-3478 (ISSN-L)
- 1098-108X
- PMC
- PMC9804415
- OpenAlex
- W4292543173
- Cited by
- 8
- References
- 44
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 1.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- International Journal of Eating Disorders (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- NSW Health
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Keywords
- binge eating disorder, online therapy, brief behavioral intervention, telemedicine, loss of control over eating, eating disorder psychopathology, treatment feasibility, program adherence, attrition, women
- MeSH terms
- Feasibility Studies, Female, Humans, Pilot Projects, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Treatment Outcome, Binge-Eating Disorder
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