FlexED: A Digital, Gamified Early Intervention for Eating Disorders

FlexED: A Digital, Gamified Early Intervention for Eating Disorders

The goal of this clinical trial is to test a new intervention for body-image distress to reduce eating disorder symptoms in young women and girls between the ages of 15-25 years old.

Participants complete up to 8 digital sessions using their mobile phone that include a character, story line and interactive exercises, games and digital rewards. Everyone in the study completes the intervention after different periods of time (2, 4 or 6 weeks) of completing assessments.

Researchers will examine the impact of the intervention on participants ability to respond flexibly to body-image distress or triggers, measuring things like heart rate, eye gaze, and reaction time to body-image related words and images, and test how long it takes to see change.

This multiple baseline experiment tests the impact of a digital, gamified early intervention for eating disorders on body-image psychological flexibility and assesses treatment dose. Twenty-four young women and girls with eating disorder (ED) symptoms are randomized to baseline duration between 2-6 weeks. Participants complete up to eight 20-30 minute sessions of a multimedia application using their mobile phone. Psychological flexibility is measured repeatedly using a multi-level, multi-dimensional assessment strategy of self-report and lab-based tasks assessing flexibility in cognition, affect and attention with body-image related stimuli during the baseline and treatment phases to estimate treatment effects.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female identified 15-25 years old
• Weight Concerns Scale score of >47
• Eating disorder behaviors with onset at current level <3 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Currently meet diagnostic criteria for anorexia or bulimia nervosa
• Psychosis, substance use disorder or current suicidal ideation or self-harm.
• Start or change in psychiatric medications within the past month.
• NonEnglish Speaking.
• Presents with other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED) that does not includes weight/shape concerns as a primary feature (e.g., Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder).