Internet-based interventions for eating disorders in adults: a systematic review

Ruth Dölemeyer · Annemarie Tietjen · Anette Kersting · Birgit Wagner

99 citations0/0 files storedBMC Psychiatry

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Eating Disorders and Behaviors Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior Digital Mental Health Interventions

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of internet-based interventions for the treatment of different eating disorders in adults. METHOD: A search for peer reviewed journal articles detailing Randomised Control Trials (RCT) and Controlled Trials (CT) addressing participants with eating disorders aged at least 16 was completed in the electronic databases Web of Science, PsycInfo and PubMed. The quality of the included articles was assessed, results were reviewed and effect sizes and corresponding confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: Eight studies, including a total of N = 609 participants, fulfilled the selection criteria and were included. The majority of treatments applied in these studies were based on CBT principles. Six studies described guided self-help interventions that showed significant symptom reduction in terms of primary and secondary outcomes regarding eating behaviour and abstinence rates. These studies produced significant medium to high effect sizes both within and between the groups after utilisation of guided self-help programs or a self-help book backed up with supportive e-mails. The two remaining studies utilised a specific writing task or e-mail therapy that did not follow a structured treatment program. Here, no significant effects could be found. Treatment dropout rates ranged from 9% to 47.2%. Furthermore, reductions in other symptoms, for example depression and anxiety, and an increase in quality of life were found by four studies. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results support the value of internet-based interventions that use guided self-help to tackle eating disorders, but further research is needed due to the heterogeneity of the studies.

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References

1983The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale 1961An Inventory for Measuring Depression 1985The Satisfaction With Life Scale 1988Statistical Methods for Meta-Analysis 1998Development of the World Health Organization WHOQOL-BREF Quality of Life Assessment 1994Assessment of eating disorders: Interview or self‐report questionnaire?1983Development and validation of a multidimensional eating disorder inventory for anorexia nervosa and bulimia 2011Mortality Rates in Patients With Anorexia Nervosa and Other Eating Disorders

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