PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This article evaluates the empirical standing of online treatment (eTherapy) for people with an established eating disorder. RECENT FINDINGS: There have been four randomized controlled trials of eTherapy for people with an eating disorder. All four focused on eating disorders characterized by binge eating and recruited adult participants direct from the community. The interventions were cognitive behavioural in nature, lasted between 3 and 7 months, and were accompanied by external support. In common with eTherapy for other mental health problems, there were problems engaging and retaining the users, and maximizing their implementation of the intervention. A minority (10-37%, intent-to-treat figures) improved substantially. SUMMARY: This is a new field. The findings of the four randomized controlled trials are consistent with the earlier reports indicating that guided eTherapy interventions of a cognitive behavioural nature are acceptable to (female) adults with a binge eating problem and that a subgroup improves substantially. More effective interventions are required and their use in different healthcare settings needs to be investigated. Direct-to-sufferer eTherapy interventions have the potential to increase access to effective forms of treatment and, in younger cases, they might serve as a form of secondary prevention.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This article evaluates the empirical standing of online treatment (eTherapy) for people with an established eating disorder. RECENT FINDINGS: There have been four randomized controlled trials of eTherapy for people with an eating disorder. All four focused on eating disorders characterized by binge eating and recruited adult participants direct from the community. The interventions were cognitive behavioural in nature, lasted between 3 and 7 months, and were accompanied by external support. In common with eTherapy for other mental health problems, there were problems engaging and retaining the users, and maximizing their implementation of the intervention. A minority (10-37%, intent-to-treat figures) improved substantially. SUMMARY: This is a new field. The findings of the four randomized controlled trials are consistent with the earlier reports indicating that guided eTherapy interventions of a cognitive behavioural nature are acceptable to (female) adults with a binge eating problem and that a subgroup improves substantially. More effective interventions are required and their use in different healthcare settings needs to be investigated. Direct-to-sufferer eTherapy interventions have the potential to increase access to effective forms of treatment and, in younger cases, they might serve as a form of secondary prevention.
Authors: Julia Philipp; Claudia Franta; Michael Zeiler; Stefanie Truttmann; Tanja Wittek; Hartmut Imgart; Annika Zanko; Ellen Auer-Welsbach; Dunja Mairhofer; Michaela Mitterer; Clarissa Laczkovics; Gabriele Schöfbeck; Elisabeth Jilka; Wolfgang B Egermann; Janet Treasure; Andreas F K Karwautz; Gudrun Wagner Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-04-27 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Jakob Linnet; Esben Skov Jensen; Eik Runge; Marina Bohn Hansen; Søren Peter Thygesen Hertz; Kim Mathiasen; Mia Beck Lichtenstein Journal: Internet Interv Date: 2022-04-13
Authors: Juliane Schmidt-Hantke; Bianka Vollert; Franziska Hagner; Ina Beintner; Kristian Hütter; Martina Nitsch; Corinna Jacobi; Karin Waldherr Journal: Eur J Public Health Date: 2021-07-07 Impact factor: 3.367