Approach bias modification training in bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder: a pilot randomised controlled trial

TY - JOUR

T1 - Approach bias modification training in bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder

T2 - a pilot randomised controlled trial

AU - Brockmeyer, Timo

AU - Friederich, Hans Christoph

AU - Küppers, Carolyn

AU - Chowdhury, Sharmain

AU - Harms, Louisa

AU - Simmonds, Jess

AU - Gordon, Gemma

AU - Potterton, Rachel

AU - Schmidt, Ulrike

PY - 2019/5

Y1 - 2019/5

N2 - Objective: Bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge-eating disorder (BED) are associated with poorly controlled approach behavior toward food resulting in binge eating. Approach bias modification (ABM) may reduce these automatic action tendencies (i.e., approach bias) toward food and may thus decrease binge eating and related symptoms. Method: A total of 56 patients with BN/BED participated in this double-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing real and sham ABM. The real ABM condition adopted an implicit learning paradigm in which participants were trained to show avoidance behavior in response to food cues. Participants in the sham condition used a similar task but were not trained to avoid food cues. Both conditions comprised 10 training sessions within 4 weeks. Results: Participants in both groups experienced significant reductions in binge eating, eating disorder symptoms, trait food craving, and food cue reactivity. Real ABM tended to result in greater reductions in eating disorder symptoms than sham ABM. Food intake, approach bias, and attention bias toward food did not change. Discussion: This is the first RCT on ABM in eating disorders. The findings provide limited support for the efficacy of ABM in BN/BED and pose questions regarding its active ingredients and its usefulness as a stand-alone treatment for eating disorders.

AB - Objective: Bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge-eating disorder (BED) are associated with poorly controlled approach behavior toward food resulting in binge eating. Approach bias modification (ABM) may reduce these automatic action tendencies (i.e., approach bias) toward food and may thus decrease binge eating and related symptoms. Method: A total of 56 patients with BN/BED participated in this double-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing real and sham ABM. The real ABM condition adopted an implicit learning paradigm in which participants were trained to show avoidance behavior in response to food cues. Participants in the sham condition used a similar task but were not trained to avoid food cues. Both conditions comprised 10 training sessions within 4 weeks. Results: Participants in both groups experienced significant reductions in binge eating, eating disorder symptoms, trait food craving, and food cue reactivity. Real ABM tended to result in greater reductions in eating disorder symptoms than sham ABM. Food intake, approach bias, and attention bias toward food did not change. Discussion: This is the first RCT on ABM in eating disorders. The findings provide limited support for the efficacy of ABM in BN/BED and pose questions regarding its active ingredients and its usefulness as a stand-alone treatment for eating disorders.

KW - cognitive bias modification

KW - eating disorders

KW - information processing

KW - treatment

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85060760782&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/eat.23024

DO - 10.1002/eat.23024

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85060760782

SN - 0276-3478

VL - 52

SP - 520

EP - 529

JO - International Journal of Eating Disorders

JF - International Journal of Eating Disorders

IS - 5

ER -