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.
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.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
30
An internet-based self-help programme using cognitive behavioural therapy principles to treat individuals receiving input from a specialist eating disorders service. The programme takes 3 months to complete.
NHS Tayside Eating Disorders Service
Dundee, Tayside, United Kingdom
Improvement in eating disorder behaviours captured by the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q)
Improvement will be captured by a reduction in the frequency of behaviours indicative of an eating disorder over a 28-day period across the 41-item Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q)
Time frame: 6 months
Acceptability of "Smart Eating" programme will be captured through qualitative information gathered by a feedback questionnaire
Acceptability will be evaluated via a participant feedback questionnaire
Time frame: 6 months
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