Combining Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy With Mindfulness Training in a Digital Intervention for Binge Eating Disorder: A Single-Session Pilot Trial.

A single-session digital intervention combining cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness training for binge-eating disorder was tested in 21 adults. All participants completed the 60-minute program and rated its usability, satisfaction, engagement, visual appeal, understandability, helpfulness, and desire to continue as excellent—averaging above four on a five-point scale. At one-month follow-up, participants showed large reductions in binge eating episodes and binge eating scale scores, and medium reductions in overall eating disorder symptoms. The pilot suggests the single session is acceptable, feasible, and preliminarily effective for reducing binge eating.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Delivering a single-session treatment digitally can offer increased accessibility. We developed and tested a single-session digital intervention for binge-eating disorder (BED) combining cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness training. English-speaking adults who met criteria for BED were recruited nationally. Participants completed a 60-min digital single-session intervention for BED. Our primary outcome was to evaluate initial acceptability (usability, overall satisfaction, engagement, visual appeal of content, understandability of programme material, desire to continue the programme, and overall helpfulness) and feasibility (intervention completion). We also evaluated changes in binge eating episodes, assessed via the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) objective binge eating episodes question, and eating disorder symptoms, assessed via the EDE-Q and Binge Eating Scale (BES). Acceptability measures were administered immediately after the completion of the digital module, while the BES and EDE-Q were administered at pre-treatment and at 1-month follow-up. All participants (N = 21) completed the intervention. Ratings for acceptability were excellent, with averages above a four on a five-point Likert scale on ratings for all dimensions. Participants reported large and significant decreases in binge eating episodes (d = 0.86) and BES scores (d = 0.91) as well as medium and significant decreases in global eating disorder symptoms at 1-month follow-up (d = 0.55). Results from this pilot suggest promising acceptability and feasibility for a single session of Mindful Courage for BED. This single session also appears to be preliminarily efficacious in reducing binge eating.