Use of Technology in the Assessment and Treatment of Eating Disorders in Youth

Sadeh‐Sharvit, Shiri

doi:10.1016/j.chc.2019.05.011

Cited by 19 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 37 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…At least two recent commentaries have stated a position that argues for increased use of varied digital formats both for assessing EDs, as well as augmenting or replacing existing treatment modalities for EDs. 22,27 Of note, a review that just pre-dated the COVID-19 pandemic already anticipated some of the advantages of digitallyenhanced treatment, including increasing widespread support for EDs to marginalized populations who are less likely to overcome barriers associated with cost, access, and ED-related stigma. 27 Once in the midst of the pandemic, these arguments appeared even more salient, and a pressing need for more resources became a call to action for adjusting our systems of care to provide for digital mental health services.…”

Section: Digital Formatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of Telehealth in the Management of Adolescent Eating Disorders: Patient Perspectives and Future Directions Suggested from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Gorrell¹,

Reilly²,

Brosof³

et al. 2022

AHMT

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Efforts to increase accessibility of eating disorder (ED) treatment via telemedicine have been ongoing for the past decades. However, there has been a recent surge in research focused on remote delivery of interventions since the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) in 2020, the related lockdowns, and an exponential increase in ED symptoms in youth secondary to the pandemic worldwide. In the current review, we provide a focused summary of existing literature regarding telehealth for the treatment of EDs in adolescents using a frame of past, present, and future work. Specifically, we begin with a brief overview of research in remote delivery for EDs in youth prior to 2020. Then, we detail more recent studies in this domain, with a focus on research conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. We close by outlining limitations of the existing data and future steps necessary to expand the rigor and impact of this work. Overall, there are considerable limitations associated with research conducted during the pandemic, but an increase in the acceptability of remote delivery methods and interest in hybrid care appears to be feasible, and likely to be lasting. Future work must replicate more recent research in non-pandemic contexts and prioritize evaluation of factors that will aid in matching patients to the most efficient and effective modalities of care moving forward.

show abstract

Section: Digital Formatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of Telehealth in the Management of Adolescent Eating Disorders: Patient Perspectives and Future Directions Suggested from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Gorrell¹,

Reilly²,

Brosof³

et al. 2022

AHMT

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Recent technological advancements offer innovative ways for feasible and effective screening and early intervention for individuals with mental health disorders (Sadeh‐Sharvit, 2019). The predictive accuracy of the model studied here was moderate, and future investigations should evaluate whether Internet browsing history could be clinically useful in detecting ED status, particularly in light of ethical and privacy considerations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting eating disorders from Internet activity

Sadeh‐Sharvit

Fitzsimmons‐Craft

Taylor

et al. 2020

Intl J Eating Disorders

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective Eating disorders (EDs) compromise the health and functioning of affected individuals, but it can often take them several years to acknowledge their illness and seek treatment. Early identification of individuals with EDs is a public health priority, and innovative approaches are needed for such identification and ultimate linkage with evidence‐based interventions. This study examined whether Internet activity data can predict ED risk/diagnostic status, potentially informing timely interventions. Method Participants were 936 women who completed a clinically validated online survey for EDs, and 231 of them (24.7%) contributed their Internet browsing history. A machine learning algorithm used key attributes from participants' Internet activity histories to predict their ED status: clinical/subclinical ED, high risk for an ED, or no ED. Results The algorithm reached an accuracy of 52.6% in predicting ED risk/diagnostic status, compared to random decision accuracy of 38.1%, a relative improvement of 38%. The most predictive Internet search history variables were the following: use of keywords related to ED symptoms and websites promoting ED content, participant age, median browsing events per day, and fraction of daily activity at noon. Discussion ED risk or clinical status can be predicted via machine learning with moderate accuracy using Internet activity variables. This model, if replicated in larger samples where it demonstrates stronger predictive value, could identify populations where further assessment is merited. Future iterations could also inform tailored digital interventions, timed to be provided when target online behaviors occur, thereby potentially improving the well‐being of many individuals who may otherwise remain undetected.

show abstract

“…The types of virtual treatment in place for EDs are varied and include the delivery of therapy remotely in real-time (e.g., videoconferencing), the provision of support between therapy sessions (e.g., email, texting, instant messaging), and self-help and self-monitoring interventions (e.g., internet self-help, internet-based CBT (iCBT), smartphone applications, etc. ), each of which can be used alone or in combination [ 8 , 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The use of technology in the treatment of youth with eating disorders: A scoping review

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Adolescence and young adulthood is a high-risk period for the development of eating disorders. In recent years, there has been an increase in use of technology-based interventions (TBIs) for the treatment of eating disorders. The objective of this study was to determine the types of technology used for eating disorder treatment in youth and their effectiveness. Methods A scoping review was conducted according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Four databases were searched. Eligible articles included: (1) a TBI (2) participants with a mean age between 10- and 25-years and meeting DSM-IV or DSM-5 criteria for any eating disorder and (3) qualitative or quantitative designs. Quantitative and qualitative studies were assessed for quality. Results The search identified 1621 articles. After screening of titles and abstracts, 130 articles were read in full and assessed for eligibility by two raters. Forty-nine (29 quantitative and 20 qualitative, observational, or mixed methods studies) met inclusion criteria. Quality ratings indicated that 78% of quantitative studies had a low risk of bias and 22% had a moderate risk. Technologies reviewed in our study included videoconference therapy, mobile applications, and online self-help. We considered interventions used both within sessions with clinicians as well as those used in between sessions by patients alone. Fifteen of 18 (83%) quantitative studies found that TBIs reduce eating disorder symptomatology, with nine of those reporting medium-to-large effect sizes. Qualitative data was of high quality and suggested that virtual interventions are acceptable in this population. Conclusions Although identified studies are of high quality, they are limited in number. More research is needed, particularly regarding videoconferencing and mobile applications. Nonetheless, TBIs show promise for the treatment of eating disorders in youth. Trial registration: Not applicable.

show abstract

Use of Technology in the Assessment and Treatment of Eating Disorders in Youth

Cited by 19 publications

References 37 publications

Use of Telehealth in the Management of Adolescent Eating Disorders: Patient Perspectives and Future Directions Suggested from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Use of Telehealth in the Management of Adolescent Eating Disorders: Patient Perspectives and Future Directions Suggested from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Predicting eating disorders from Internet activity

The use of technology in the treatment of youth with eating disorders: A scoping review

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About