Emotion intervention for binge-eating
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Refining and optimising a brief online emotion-based intervention to provide early support for adult patients with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder awaiting NHS treatment.
IRAS ID
326396
Contact name
Laura Renshaw-Vuillier
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bournemouth University
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN93069608
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Funder number, NIHR206149
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 2 days
Research summary
Aim: Adapting and refining a brief, online, emotion-focused intervention for adult patients who binge eat and are awaiting NHS treatment
Background: People who binge-eat (when people eat very large quantities of food without feeling like they’re in control of what they’re doing) make up more than half of the 1.25 million of people in the United Kingdom with an eating disorder (ED). ED services are over-stretched with treatment waiting times averaging two years. Long waiting times lead to worse symptoms, higher healthcare costs and poorer response to treatment.
Difficulties with emotions can lead to binge-eating. Working with people with lived experience of EDs and with clinicians, we developed an online intervention based on a psychological approach focused on emotions. It aims to help people with EDs manage difficult emotions to reduce ED thoughts and behaviours. It includes:
• five short videos
• a workbook summarising the video content
• a booklet to support daily practices to help manage difficult emotions.We tried out the intervention with 40 people with a range of EDs. They said, “It was a breakthrough for me”, and “it will change lives for the better”. We now want to see if the intervention could help NHS patients who binge-eat and are awaiting treatment.
Design and methods:
The study consists of 4 parts:
1. Use a software tool called LifeGuide to make the intervention interactive
2. Try out the intervention with 20 adults awaiting treatment for binge-eating across two NHS Trusts (London and Hampshire) and get their feedback
3. Hold a discussion group with 5 clinicians working in ED services in London and Hampshire to discuss how the intervention might fit into NHS treatment pathways.
4. Send out a brief questionnaire to all 71 adult ED services in the UK asking about care pathways and how waiting-lists are managed.We’ll make changes to the intervention based on feedback from patients and clinicians.
Throughout the study we’ll work closely with a study advisory group (including an ED clinician, three psychologists, a PPI lead and a person with autism and lived experience of ED) as well as a PPI group
REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/SW/0033
Date of REC Opinion
17 Apr 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion