Effectiveness of virtually delivered Body Project groups to prevent eating disorders in young women at risk: a protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Kun en av fem personer med spiseforstyrrelser mottar behandling, og bare en tredjedel av dem opplever effektiv behandling. Denne studien undersøker effekten av virtuelle Body Project-grupper ledet av jevnaldrende sammenlignet med klinikere, med mål om å redusere risikofaktorer for spiseforstyrrelser, symptomer og forebygge sykdomsutvikling.
Publisert i Research Publications Fredag 22. desember, 2023 - 10:57 | sist oppdatert Torsdag 11. april, 2024 - 10:11
Forfatter
Camilla Lindvall Dahlgren
Medforfatter
Line Wisting, Eric Stice, Ata Ghaderi
Navn på publikasjon/tidsskrift/forlag
Journal of Eating Disorders
Forskningen har potensial til å øke tilgjengeligheten av forebyggende tiltak for unge kvinner med kroppsrelaterte bekymringer. Hvis funnene bekrefter at jevnaldrende kan lede virtuelle Body Project-grupper like effektivt som klinikere, kan dette forbedre implementeringsmulighetene.
Background
Eating disorders (EDs) are a group of mental illnesses associated with significant psychological and physiological consequences. Overall, only about one-fifth of individuals with EDs receive treatment and treatment is effective for only about one-third for those who receive care. The development and implementation of effective prevention approaches for those at risk is therefore pivotal. The Body Project is the most effective ED prevention program for at-risk women according to several meta-analyses, but reach is limited since delivery, traditionally, has been in-person. Moreover, peer-led Body Project groups have been reported to produce stronger effects than clinician-led Body Project groups when delivered in-person. This has not yet been examined for virtually delivered Body Project groups. This study therefore seeks to investigate the effect of virtual Body Project groups delivered by peers versus clinicians on ED risk factors, ED symptoms, and prospective ED onset.
Methods
Young women with body image concerns aged 16–25 years (N = 441) will be included in the study and randomized to three conditions: (i) virtually delivered Body Project groups led by clinicians; (ii) virtually delivered Body Project groups led by peers; and (iii) psychoeducational control group. Participants will complete assessments at five timepoints over two years (pretest, posttest, 6-months, 1-year, and 2-years).
Discussion
Further research is needed to examine approaches to increase the potential for broad implementation of prevention of EDs. The virtual modality of the Body Project could markedly expand the reach for young women at risk. If findings confirm that peers can deliver virtual Body Project groups as effectively as clinicians, this will further enhance the implementation potential.
Trial registration:
The present study has been registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05993728).