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Eating Disorders: Online Self-help & Usual Treatment (TAU) vs TAU Only

The Effectiveness and Acceptability of the Internet-based Smart Eating Self-help Programme Alongside Treatment as Usual for the Management of Eating Disorders: A Pilot Study

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03107221
Enrollment
30
Registered
2017-04-11
Start date
2016-08-31
Completion date
2017-10-31
Last updated
2017-11-30

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Anorexia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Bulimia Nervosa, Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder

Brief summary

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.

Detailed description

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.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALSmart Eating internet-based self-help programme

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.

Sponsors

NHS Tayside
CollaboratorOTHER_GOV
University of Edinburgh
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Caregiver)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* aged 16-65 years * meet diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder * commencing treatment under the NHS Tayside Eating Disorders Service * fluent in English * provide written consent * literate to the extent of understanding self-report questionnaires & following verbal instructions * access to a computer

Exclusion criteria

* deemed too emotionally or physically frail to participate by clinical staff; * currently presenting with active suicidal intent; * unable to read English or follow verbal English instructions.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Improvement in eating disorder behaviours captured by the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q)6 monthsImprovement 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)

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Acceptability of Smart Eating programme will be captured through qualitative information gathered by a feedback questionnaire6 monthsAcceptability will be evaluated via a participant feedback questionnaire

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in stage of motivation for change captured by the MSCARED formal measure6 monthsMotivation for change is identified by the formal measure: Motivational Stage of Change for Adolescents Recovering from an Eating Disorder (MSCARED). The measure captures participants' current stage of change, and whether they play an active participation in recovery as identified by whether in the active, maintenance or recovery stage.
Improvement in eating psychopathology captured by the Eating Disorders Inventory 36 monthsImprovement will be captured by a reduction in symptoms indicative of an eating disorder as captured by the 91-item Eating Disorders Inventory (3 scales specific to eating disorders, 9 non-specific, general psychological scales).
Reduction in symptoms of depression captured by the Beck Depression Inventory II6 monthsImprovement will be captured by a reduction in physiological and cognitive symptoms of depression by the 21-item formal measure the Beck Depression Inventory II.
Reduction in symptoms of anxiety captured by the Beck Anxiety Inventory6 monthsImprovement will be captured by a reduction in physiological and cognitive symptoms of anxiety by the 21-item formal measure the Beck Anxiety Inventory
Improvement in quality of life captured by an increase in scores on the SF-36 formal measure6 monthsImprovement in quality of life will be captured by an increase in scores on the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) formal measures, whereby high scores indicate good quality of life.

Countries

United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026