10-session Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-T): Pilot study of a newer, shorter psychotherapy for the treatment of eating disorders

The aim of this research is to investigate a new treatment for eating disorders, a 10-session Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-T), formulated by Professor Glenn Waller in the United Kingdom, which is a shorter version of the current best psychological treatment targeting all eating disorders. CBT-T is an interview style psychotherapy which aims to identify and change unhelpful behaviours and thinking related to eating disorders. Participation involves being assessed on six occasions. On the first occasion this will involve an assessment appointment as well as completing a self-report questionnaire. You will then be given information to read from Glenn Waller’s book discussing getting ready for change. Four weeks after that you will be assessed again with the questionnaire and an interview and treatment will begin. The treatment will involve attending weekly face-to-face sessions of one hour duration for ten weeks, and experimenting with changing the way that you manage eating and mood. After the fourth session of CBT-T treatment you will be assessed for a third time with the questionnaire, and then again after the last session of treatment with the questionnaire and interview. You will be assessed a fifth time 4 weeks after the CBT-T treatment has finished, and again for a sixth and final time after another 8 weeks. Each assessment will take approximately 1.5 hours of your time. Therapists will be supervised provisional psychologists. Adherence will be monitored by registering attendance of CBT-T sessions and completion of assessments. GPs and other involved professionals will be corresponded with at the beginning and end of treatment to inform them of your progress or if you have withdrawn from the study.