FlexED: A Digital Gamified Early Intervention for Eating Disorders
Duke University
Summary
The purpose of this study is to test whether a new digital intervention decreases eating disorder symptoms in young women with eating disorders by changing how they experience thoughts and feelings about their body. The digital intervention is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Participants complete up to 7 digital intervention sessions using their mobile phone that include a character, story line and interactive exercises, games and digital rewards. Researchers will examine the impact of the intervention on participants' ability to respond flexibly to body-image distress or triggers, measuring things like heart rate, eye movements, and reaction time to body-image related words and images, and examine changes in eating disorder symptoms before and after intervention.
Description
This multiple baseline experiment tests the impact of a digital, gamified early intervention for eating disorders on body-image psychological flexibility eating disorder symptoms. Up to 6 young women and girls between the ages of 15-25 with full threshold eating disorder symptoms or diagnoses will complete an initial baseline assessment, and then be assigned to different assessment (baseline) periods ranging from 2-6 weeks. They will then complete 7 fully digital sessions over 8 weeks at home using their mobile phone. Psychological flexibility will be measured repeatedly via self-report and mu…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 15–25 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Female age 15-25 years * Weight Concerns Scale score of \>=47 * Meets diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder based on the DSM-5 Exclusion Criteria: * Psychosis, substance use disorder, or current suicidal ideation or self-harm * Start or change in psychiatric medications within the past month * Non-English speaking
Interventions
- BehavioralFlexED
Intervention consists of seven \~ 20-minute sessions of a digital intervention based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Participants learn skills of body image flexibility by following an avatar through a story line and completing interactive exercises.
Location
- Duke UniversityDurham, North Carolina