E-Health Interventions for Eating Disorders: Emerging Findings, Issues, and Opportunities

Abstract

This study aimed to review the emerging findings regarding E-health interventions for eating disorders and to critically discuss emerging issues as well as challenges for future research. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy and guided self-help have demonstrated promising results in terms of reducing eating disorder psychopathology. Emerging findings also suggest that E-health interventions reach an underserved population and improve access to care. The use of smartphone applications is becoming increasingly popular and has much potential although their clinical utility and effectiveness is presently unknown and requires investigation. Important challenges include the diagnostic process in E-health interventions, the optimization of E-health within existing health care models, and the investigation and implementation of blended care. More high-quality research is needed to bring the field forward and to determine the place for E-health in our health care service delivery systems.

Addressing critical gaps in the treatment of eating disorders

“…In the field of eating disorders, the growing number of reviews on the use of technology, the Internet, and mobile applications (“apps”) for the treatment of eating disorders demonstrates the high level of interest in this area (Aardoom, Dingemans, & Van Furth, 2013; Aardoom, Dingemans, Spinhoven, & Van Furth, 2016; Agras, Fitzsimmons‐Craft, & Wilfley, , in press; Ambwani, Cardi, & Treasure, ; Bauer & Moessner, ; Dolemeyer, Tietjen, Kersting, & Wagner, ; Fairburn & Rothwell, ; Loucas et al, ; Schlegl, Burger, Schmidt, Herbst, & Voderholzer, ; Shingleton, Richards, & Thompson‐Brenner, ). Just considering randomized controlled trials that have utilized technology for CBT delivery for individuals with clinical eating disorders, great advances have been made—from the testing of unguided CD‐ROM‐based programs (Schmidt et al, ; Shapiro et al, ) to email as a vehicle for therapist input (Ljotsson et al, ; Robinson & Serfaty, ) to Internet‐based CBT (Aardoom et al, ; Agras et al, , in press; Carrard et al, ; Ruwaard et al, ; Sanchez‐Ortiz et al, ; ter Huurne et al, ; Wagner et al, ). This research is in its infancy, and additional studies with stronger methodology are needed, as the majority compared Internet‐based CBT for eating disorders to a waitlist control.…”

Evolution of cognitive-behavioral therapy for eating disorders

“…Hence, there is a large unmet need for treatment, and as highlighted by Wilson and colleagues (Fairburn & Wilson, 2013; Wilson & Zandberg, 2012), technology has the potential to make evidence-based treatment for eating disorders, such as CBT, more widely available and to address barriers to care. There has been a growing number of reviews on the use of technology, the Internet, and mobile applications (“apps”) for the treatment of eating disorders (i.e., Aardoom et al, 2013; Aardoom, Dingemans, & Van Furth, 2016; Ambwani, Cardi, & Treasure, 2014; Bauer & Moessner, 2013; Dölemeyer et al, 2013; Fairburn & Rothwell, 2015; Loucas et al, 2014; Schlegel, Bürger, Schmidt, Herbst, & Voderholzer, 2015; Shingleton, Richards, & Thompson-Brenner, 2013). Given the focus of the current paper on the evolution of CBT for eating disorders, we focus our overview specifically on RCTs that have utilized technology for CBT delivery with individuals with clinical eating disorders (see Table 1).…”

The effect of pre-treatment psychoeducation on eating disorder pathology among patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

“…While there were attitudinal and knowledge changes, impact upon eating disorder pathology was not measured. More recently, a number of other e-health interventions have been developed to provide prevention and early intervention strategies for nonclinical/undiagnosed groups (e.g., Aardoom, Dingemans & van Furth, 2016). These include online family-based early interventions to reduce risk behaviour (Jones, Volker, Lock, Barr Taylor, & Jacobi, 2012), mirroring in-person prevention work (Sadeh-Sharvit, Zubery, Mankovski, Steiner, & Lock, 2016).…”