Treatment Uptake Chatbot for Eating Disorders

Treatment utilization was measured at each follow-up time point (2, 6, and 14 weeks), which was assessed via the prompt, Have you tried or used any type of mental health help (e.g., self-help app, telehealth/in-person counseling, etc.) for your concerns related to your eating, shape, or weight in the past \[2, 6, or 14\] weeks?. We defined a participant as having utilized treatment at the first time they responded, yes (vs. no) to this question. The data presented below indicate the rates of self-reported receipt of treatment/services utilization among participants assigned (component on) or not assigned (component off) to each of the four chatbot components (motivational interviewing, psychoeducation, personalized recommendations, repeated administration), as delineated by each time point during which the aforementioned item was assesed.

Time frame: 2, 6, 14 Weeks from Engagement with the Intervention

Population: All participants who engaged with the intervention and completed the treatment utilization item at each follow up assessment (2, 6, and 14 weeks post intervention) are included. Participants in each of the 16 factorial conditions were sorted based on whether or not each of the four chatbot components were assigned. This method was used in order to understand which combination of components are essential in the design of an optimized chatbot for use in a future randomized controlled trial.

Participants' attitudes toward making changes (i.e., motivation toward seeking help) to address their personal eating, shape, and weight concerns were measured via identical items in the baseline assessment, and in each of the 2, 6, and 14 week follow-up assessments. Items included, How important is it for you to change your eating, shape, or weight concerns? and, How ready are you to make changes in your eating, shape, or weight concerns?. Both items were rated on a Likert scale from 1 (not at all important/ready) to 7 (very important/ready), and the sum of the two questions was used as an index of change/motivation attitudes. Values below indicate the average Likert scale attitude rating (from 2 (lowest) to 14 (highest)) among all participants at each time point who did (component turned on) and did not (component turned off) receive each component. Analyses outline the time, component, and time by component interaction effects on changes in motivation attitudes since baseline.

Time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 14 weeks

Population: All participants randomized to the intervention (n=205) were included, with missing data accommodated using maximum likelihood estimation. This study uses a factorial design; participants were randomized to one of 16 conditions, with each condition receiving a different combination of the four chatbot components (motivational interviewing, psychoeducation, personalized recommendations, repeated administration) turned off or on. Data below are presented as such.

Participants' willingness to seek psychotherapy was assessed via an identical item in the baseline assessment (i.e., before the initial chatbot assessment) as well as each off the follow-up assessments delivered at 2, 6, and 14 weeks post-intervention. The item prompted users to rate their willingness to seek in-person or telehealth psychotherapy in subsequent weeks. Responses were rated on a Likert scale from 1 (not at all important/ready) to 7 (very important/ready). Mean values reported below indicate the average Likert scale willingness rating among all participants at each time point who did (component turned on) and did not (component turned off). Statistical analyses outline the time and component effects on changes in mean willingness to seek pyschotherapy from baseline to 14 weeks post-interventioon.

Time frame: Baseline, 2 Weeks, 6 Weeks, 14 Weeks

Population: The analysis population included those individuals who did not report utilizing treatment/services at any of the three follow-up assessments. Treatment utilization was assessed via the item,Have you tried or used any type of mental health help (e.g., self-help app, telehealth/in-person counseling, etc.) for your concerns related to your eating, shape, or weight in the past past \[2, 6, or 14\] weeks? Participants who did not respond yes to this item were included in this analysis.