Participant reactions to a cognitive-behavioral guided self-help program for binge eating: developing criteria for program evaluation

GAMBLINGLESS: FOR LIFE study protocol: a pragmatic randomised trial of an online cognitive-behavioural programme for disordered gambling

INTRODUCTION

The prevalence of disordered gambling worldwide has been estimated at 2.3%. Only a small minority of disordered gamblers seek specialist face-to-face treatment, and so a need for alternative treatment delivery models that capitalise on advances in communication technology, and use self-directed activity that can complement existing services has been identified. As such, the primary aim of this study is to evaluate an online self-directed cognitive-behavioural programme for disordered gambling (GamblingLess: For Life).

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The study will be a 2-arm, parallel group, pragmatic randomised trial. Participants will be randomly allocated to a pure self-directed (PSD) or guided self-directed (GSD) intervention. Participants in both groups will be asked to work through the 4 modules of the GamblingLess programme over 8 weeks. Participants in the GSD intervention will also receive weekly emails of guidance and support from a gambling counsellor. A total of 200 participants will be recruited. Participants will be eligible if they reside in Australia, are aged 18 years and over, have access to the internet, have adequate knowledge of the English language, are seeking help for their own gambling problems and are willing to take part in the intervention and associated assessments. Assessments will be conducted at preintervention, and at 2, 3 and 12 months from preintervention. The primary outcome is gambling severity, assessed using the Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale. Secondary outcomes include gambling frequency, gambling expenditure, psychological distress, quality of life and additional help-seeking. Qualitative interviews will also be conducted with a subsample of participants and the Guides (counsellors).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study has been approved by the Deakin University Human Research and Eastern Health Human Research Ethics Committees. Findings will be disseminated via report, peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ACTRN12615000864527; results.

Psychological treatments for bulimia nervosa and binging

BACKGROUND

A specific manual-based form of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been developed for the treatment of bulimia nervosa (CBT-BN) and other common related syndromes such as binge eating disorder. Other psychotherapies and modifications of CBT are also used.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the efficacy of CBT, CBT-BN and other psychotherapies in the treatment of adults with bulimia nervosa or related syndromes of recurrent binge eating.

SEARCH STRATEGY

Handsearch of The International Journal of Eating Disorders since first issue; database searches of MEDLINE, EXTRAMED, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CURRENT CONTENTS, LILACS, SCISEARCH, CENTRAL and the The Cochrane Collaboration Depression, Anxiety & Neurosis Controlled Trials Register; citation list searching and personal approaches to authors were used. Search date June 2007.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials of psychotherapy for adults with bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and/or eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) of a bulimic type which applied a standardised outcome methodology and had less than 50% drop-out rate.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Data were analysed using the Review Manager software program. Relative risks were calculated for binary outcome data. Standardised mean differences were calculated for continuous variable outcome data. A random effects model was applied.

MAIN RESULTS

48 studies (n = 3054 participants) were included. The review supported the efficacy of CBT and particularly CBT-BN in the treatment of people with bulimia nervosa and also (but less strongly due to the small number of trials) related eating disorder syndromes.Other psychotherapies were also efficacious, particularly interpersonal psychotherapy in the longer-term. Self-help approaches that used highly structured CBT treatment manuals were promising. Exposure and Response Prevention did not enhance the efficacy of CBT.Psychotherapy alone is unlikely to reduce or change body weight in people with bulimia nervosa or similar eating disorders.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There is a small body of evidence for the efficacy of CBT in bulimia nervosa and similar syndromes, but the quality of trials is very variable and sample sizes are often small. More and larger trials are needed, particularly for binge eating disorder and other EDNOS syndromes. There is a need to develop more efficacious therapies for those with both a weight and an eating disorder.

Perceptions of cognitive behavioural guided self-help treatment for bulimia nervosa in primary care

This study examined perceptions of 36 women who participated in Guided Self-Help (GSH) treatment for bulimia nervosa delivered by general practitioners (GPs) in primary care. Qualitative responses revealed factors perceived to contribute toward treatment effectiveness including: improved eating behaviours, body image and emotional and general well-being; the empathic and practical style of the manual; specific behavioural strategies; GP facilitated positive therapeutic alliance and interventions with program implementation; and accessible treatment. Factors perceived as contributing to treatment ineffectiveness concerned: lack of changes to eating and body image; inadequacies of treatment program and approach; inadequate treatment dose; poor service delivery; and perceptions of low GP competence/professionalism and poor therapeutic alliance.

Psychotherapy for bulimia nervosa and binging

BACKGROUND

Bulimia nervosa and related syndromes such as binge eating disorder are common in young Western women. A specific manual-based form of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) has been developed for the treatment of bulimia nervosa (CBT-BN). Other psychotherapies, some from a different theoretical framework, and some modifications of CBT are also used.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the efficacy of CBT and CBT-BN and compare them with other psychotherapies in the treatment of adults with bulimia nervosa or related syndromes of recurrent binge eating.

SEARCH STRATEGY

A handsearch of The International Journal of Eating Disorders since its first issue; database searches of MEDLINE, EXTRAMED, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CURRENT CONTENTS, LILACS, SCISEARCH, CENTRAL and the The Cochrane Collaboration Depression, Anxiety & Neurosis Controlled Trials Register; citation list searching and personal approaches to authors were used.

SELECTION CRITERIA

All studies that have tested any form of psychotherapy for adults with non-purging bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and/or other types of eating disorders of a bulimic type (eating disorder, not otherwise specified, or EDNOS), and which applied a randomised controlled and standardised outcome methodology.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Data were analysed using the Review Manager software program. Relative risks were calculated for binary outcome data. Standardized mean differences were calculated for continuous variable outcome data. A fixed effects model was used to analyse the data. Sensitivity analyses of a number of measures of trial quality were conducted. Data were not reported in such a way to permit subgroup analyses, but the effects of treatment on depressive symptoms, psychosocial and/or interpersonal functioning, general psychiatric symptoms and weight were examined where possible. Funnel plots were drawn to investigate the presence of publication bias.

MAIN RESULTS

The review supported the efficacy of cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy (CBT) and particularly CBT-BN in the treatment of people with bulimia nervosa and also (but less strongly due to the small number of trials) related eating disorder syndromes. CBT was also shown to be effective in group settings. Other psychotherapies were also efficacious, particularly interpersonal psychotherapy in the longer-term. Self-help approaches that used highly structured CBT treatment manuals, were promising albeit with more modest results generally, and their evaluation in bulimia nervosa merits further research. Exposure and Response Prevention did not appear to enhance the efficacy of CBT.Psychotherapy alone is unlikely to reduce or change body weight in people with bulimia nervosa or similar eating disorders.

REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS

There is a small body of evidence for the efficacy of cognitive-behaviour therapy in bulimia nervosa and similar syndromes, but the quality of trials is very variable and sample sizes are often small. More trials of CBT are needed, particularly for binge eating disorder and other EDNOS syndromes. Trials evaluating other psychotherapies and less intensive psychotherapies should also be conducted.