None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
In-person single session educational programs (SSEP) have been suggested as a solution for short-term treatment for people on the waitlist for eating disorder treatment. However, these programs are resource-intensive, as they are usually delivered by an experienced clinician. To overcome this barrier. We have developed and preliminarily validated a rule-based chatbot (a computer program that uses artificial intelligence to have human-like conversations) to deliver elements of the SSEP. The current randomised control trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an online single session educational program (SSEP) delivered by a chatbot for people aged 16 and above on the waitlist for eating disorder treatment in Australia. It is hypothesized that participants who engage with the online SSEP will experience improvements in their eating disorder symptoms, overall mental health, psychosocial impairment due to eating disorder symptoms, and motivation for treatment, compared to participants who receive no treatment while on the waitlist.
Interventions
An online Single Session Educational Program (SSEP) delivered by a chabot for waitlisted clients seeking eating disorder treatment.
Participants will be randomised into the intervention group or control group. Participants in the intervention group will have access to a 30-minute online SSEP delivered by a chatbot. This will be accessed through a password protected login on a website. The SSEP is based on the single session intervention described by Fursland et al. (2018).
The SSEP focuses o
An online Single Session Educational Program (SSEP) delivered by a chabot for waitlisted clients seeking eating disorder treatment. Participants will be randomised into the intervention group or control group. Participants in the intervention group will have access to a 30-minute online SSEP delivered by a chatbot. This will be accessed through a password protected login on a website. The SSEP is based on the single session intervention described by Fursland et al. (2018). The SSEP focuses on assessment of eating disorder symptoms and providing psychoeducation to the user. Psychoeducation includes information about starvation syndrome and the maintenance cycle of eating disorders which is conducted through interactive activities and short videos. The aim of the SSEP is to provide short term treatment for participants and offer them information so the participant can gain a deeper understanding of their experiences. Participants will complete the SSEP once and they will have on-going access to a summary of the session and material. Upon completion, the participants in the intervention group will complete a post-intervention survey. Analysis of website analytics will be conducted to monitor adherence to the intervention. Participants will be assessed at baseline, 2-4-weeks, and 3-4 months post-randomisation (the latter representing when the participant has completed the first in-person session of their eating disorder treatment with a psychologist).
Sponsors
Monash University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
16 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
On the waitlist for eating disorder treatment
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria includes no access to a working email address and electronic device, and high medical and/or psychiatric risk (as assessed and documented by the general practitioner as a standard part of any referral to an eating disorder focused psychology clinic) - Participants who screen positive for Avoidant Restriction Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) at baseline will be excluded from the study.
Outcome results
None listed