Can CBT-E be delivered in an online group format? A pilot study of the Body Image module in a child and adolescent eating disorder service

ABSTRACT

The increased prevalence of eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to long waiting lists in child and adolescent services. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of providing the Body Image module, from the enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy for eating disorders (CBT-E), in a virtual group setting. Primary outcomes were acceptance rates, completion rates, qualitative feedback and quantitative data from routine questionnaires. From 22 eligible referrals, 12 participants accepted and enrolled in therapy. Eight completed all six sessions. Qualitative feedback was positive, with both the content and group nature of the intervention being described as helpful. There was an reduction in scores in the Clinical Impairment Assessment and all subscales of the Eating Disorder Examination for Adolescents, suggesting this was a feasible method of providing psychological therapy within the service. A larger trial is recommended to robustly test the effectiveness of the intervention compared to one-to-one in-person CBT-E, and whether the full CBT-E protocol can be effectively delivered in the same format.

Acknowledgments

With thanks to the young people and the clinical team at the Oxfordshire Child and Adolescent Eating Disorder Service. Further thanks to Dr Joram van Rheede, Dr Edwin Dalmaijer and Sophie Harris for support with writing the manuscript.

Trial registration

This study was pre-registered and approved as a clinical service evaluation by the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.