Rapid Innovation of Precision Psychiatry Interventions Using Dynamic Systems Modeling and Ecological Quasi-Experiments
Trustees of Dartmouth College
Summary
The goal of this study is to develop and test a digital program to help people with eating disorders in their everyday lives. The program uses brief surveys and sensor data collected by smartphones to understand when someone may be at higher risk for behaviors like restricting food, binge eating, or using unhealthy weight control behaviors.
Description
In this study, 170 adults with eating disorders will take part. They will regularly report on their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors throughout the day. Based on this information, the program will send "just-in-time" support, which involves short, tailored suggestions that encourage the use of helpful coping skills right when they are most needed. The study has three main goals: 1. To better understand risk patterns: The investigators will use real-time data to build personalized models that predict when someone is at higher risk for eating disorder behaviors based on their own data and…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age 18-70 2. At least 12 ED behaviors from the same behavioral category in the past 12 weeks (i.e., at least 12 binge eating episodes, at least 12 compensatory behaviors, and/or at least 12 instances of dietary restriction) 3. Ownership of a smartphone 4. Willingness to complete ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and sensor data collection 5. Live in the United States 6. Has a primary care provider or is willing to establish a primary care provider Exclusion Criteria: 1. Inability to fluently speak, read, and write in English 2. Body mass index \< 17.5 kg/m2 3. Med…
Interventions
- BehavioralEating Disorder Dynamic Intervention
Participants will use a smartphone-based program designed to support eating disorder recovery in daily life. Participants will complete brief surveys about their mood, thoughts, and behaviors, and the smartphone will also passively collect activity-related data. This information is used to detect times when a person may be at higher risk for eating disorder behaviors. Participants will watch 4 video modules that introduce the core enhanced cognitive-behavioral therapy skills for eating disorders (reducing dietary restraint, urge management, emotion regulation, and improving body image), provide rationale, and prompt participants to complete interactive activities to practice these skills. Participants will then receive micro-randomized JITAIs prompting them to use these skills in their daily lives; micro-randomization will be used to deliver a JITAI from one of the 4 skill categories (reducing dietary restraint, urge management, emotion regulation, improving body image) or no JITAI.
Location
- Dartmouth CollegeLebanon, New Hampshire