Eating Disorders
Conditions
Keywords
Prevention, Peer Leader, Feeding and Eating Disorders
Brief summary
This proposed pilot study will evaluate whether this body acceptance class produces greater reductions in eating disorder risk factor symptoms (pursuit of the thin ideal, body dissatisfaction, dieting, dietary restraint and negative affect), eating disorder symptoms, and future onset of eating disorders over 6-month follow-up in this population.
Detailed description
Dozens of eating disorder prevention programs have been evaluated, but only the 4-hr Body Project has reduced eating disorder symptoms and future eating disorder onset over 3-4 year follow-up, produced larger reductions in outcomes than credible alternative interventions, been shown to engage the intervention target (valuation of the thin beauty ideal), and produced effects in trials from several independent teams. Although undergraduate peer-educator-led Body Project groups have produced larger reductions in outcomes than an eating disorder education video, an unmoderated Internet-based prevention program, and even clinician-led Body Project groups, it can be logistically difficult to schedule in-person Body Project groups with high school and college students. One solution to this key implementation barrier is to have peer educators deliver Body Project groups virtually over the Internet. A pilot trial in Sweden provided initial evidence that virtually-delivered peer-led Body Project groups produced greater reductions in eating disorder symptoms and future onset of eating disorders than an active expressive-writing intervention. The proposed pilot study will evaluate whether Body Project produces greater reductions in risk factor symptoms, eating disorder symptoms, and future onset of eating disorders in this population. Participation in the intervention will last four weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned to the intervention condition or waitlist-control condition. Assessments will take place at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 6 month follow up. Waitlist control participants will receive the intervention after they complete their post-test assessment.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALPeer Led Group Intervention
Four week dissonance-based program wherein women with body image concerns complete verbal, written, and behavioral activities. The program consist of four 60-minute sessions.
Sponsors
Stanford University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
Outcomes Assessor at post-test and 6 month follow-up are blind to participant randomization.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
16 Years to 26 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Body image concerns
Exclusion criteria
* N/A
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change over time in Body Dissatisfaction | pre intervention obtained on intake, immediately post intervention, and 6-months after the conclusion of the intervention | Ten items from the Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction with Body Parts Scale assessed satisfaction with body parts with a response scale ranging from 1 = extremely dissatisfied to 6 = extremely satisfied |
| Change over time in Thin Ideal Internalization | pre intervention obtained on intake, immediately post intervention, and 6-months after the conclusion of the intervention | The eight-item Ideal-Body Stereotype Scale-Revised will assess endorsement of the thin beauty ideal using a response scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change over time in Negative Affect | pre intervention obtained on intake, immediately post intervention, and 6-months after the conclusion of the intervention | Twenty items from the sadness, guilt, and fear/anxiety subscales from the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale-Revised will assess negative affect. Participants reported the extent to which they had felt negative emotions on scales ranging from 1 = very slightly or not at all to 5 = extremely. |
| Change over time in Dieting | pre intervention obtained on intake, immediately post intervention, and 6-months after the conclusion of the intervention | The 10-item Dutch Restrained Eating Scale will assess the frequency of dieting behaviors using a response scale ranging from 1 = never to 5 = always. |
| Change over time in Eating Disorder symptoms | pre intervention obtained on intake, immediately post intervention, and 6-months after the conclusion of the intervention | Interviewer assesses frequency of eating disorder behaviors using Eating Disorder Diagnostic Interview |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed