Guided Self-Help Treatment for Children and Young People With Eating Disorders: A Proof-Of-Concept Pilot Study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Guided Self-Help Treatment for Children and Young People With Eating Disorders

T2 - A Proof-Of-Concept Pilot Study

AU - Davey, Emily

AU - Bryant-Waugh, Rachel

AU - Bennett, Sophie D

AU - Micali, Nadia

AU - Baudinet, Julian

AU - Konstantellou, Anna

AU - Clark-Stone, Sam

AU - Green, Amelia

AU - Shafran, Roz

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). European Eating Disorders Review published by Eating Disorders Association and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2025/1/2

Y1 - 2025/1/2

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To conduct a proof-of-concept pilot study of a CBT guided self-help intervention for children and young people with eating disorders.METHOD: Children and young people were recruited from two outpatient eating disorder services in England. They received a CBT guided self-help intervention consisting of eight modules and weekly support sessions. Clinical outcomes (eating disorder psychopathology and associated impairment, changes in %median BMI, depression, anxiety, and behavioural difficulties) were assessed at baseline and post-intervention (12 weeks). Qualitative data were collected for future intervention refinement.RESULTS: Six female adolescents (aged 13-17) received the CBT guided self-help intervention. All participants completed a minimum of six modules and six support sessions. Quantitative and qualitative feedback suggested that the intervention was acceptable. From baseline to post-intervention, there was a reduction in eating disorder psychopathology and impairment, along with an increase in %median BMI. Outcomes for depression, anxiety and behavioural difficulties were mixed.CONCLUSIONS: The CBT guided self-help intervention was feasibly implemented, acceptable to participants, and showed potential to produce clinical benefits. While promising, these findings are preliminary and derived from a small, non-randomised sample of White female adolescents. More rigorous evaluation with a randomised design and a larger, representative sample is warranted.

AB - OBJECTIVE: To conduct a proof-of-concept pilot study of a CBT guided self-help intervention for children and young people with eating disorders.METHOD: Children and young people were recruited from two outpatient eating disorder services in England. They received a CBT guided self-help intervention consisting of eight modules and weekly support sessions. Clinical outcomes (eating disorder psychopathology and associated impairment, changes in %median BMI, depression, anxiety, and behavioural difficulties) were assessed at baseline and post-intervention (12 weeks). Qualitative data were collected for future intervention refinement.RESULTS: Six female adolescents (aged 13-17) received the CBT guided self-help intervention. All participants completed a minimum of six modules and six support sessions. Quantitative and qualitative feedback suggested that the intervention was acceptable. From baseline to post-intervention, there was a reduction in eating disorder psychopathology and impairment, along with an increase in %median BMI. Outcomes for depression, anxiety and behavioural difficulties were mixed.CONCLUSIONS: The CBT guided self-help intervention was feasibly implemented, acceptable to participants, and showed potential to produce clinical benefits. While promising, these findings are preliminary and derived from a small, non-randomised sample of White female adolescents. More rigorous evaluation with a randomised design and a larger, representative sample is warranted.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85213949712&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/erv.3171

DO - 10.1002/erv.3171

M3 - Article

C2 - 39748198

SN - 1072-4133

JO - European Eating Disorders Review

JF - European Eating Disorders Review

ER -