Using Visual Feedback to Influence Rapid Response in the Treatment of Eating Disorders
Using Visual Feedback to Influence Rapid Response in the Treatment of Eating Disorders
This study has two aims: 1) to test the validity of an eating disorder symptom checklist
 against an established clinical interview; and 2) to examine whether providing eating
 disorder patients with visual graphs of their symptom frequency in the early sessions of
 active treatment will lead to higher numbers of patients achieving a "rapid response" (65%
 reduction in symptoms in the first 4 weeks of treatment). Groups where patients receive
 visual graphs of symptom frequency will be compared with groups where patients do not receive
 visual graphs of symptom frequency on rates of rapid response to cognitive behavior treatment
 for eating disorders.
There is a growing body of research indicating that the best predictor of treatment outcome
 for eating disorders is a "rapid response" - or a 65% drop in symptoms such as binge eating
 or purging - in the first four weeks of Cognitive Behavior Treatment (CBT). Research is only
 now beginning to look at whether it is possible to increase the number of rapid responders by
 directly encouraging this behavior in patients. This study has two aims: 1) to validate
 information obtained about symptoms in a Weekly Symptom Checklist (WSC) against information
 obtained in clinical interview; and 2) to examine whether, in a context where rapid response
 is being discussed and actively encouraged, the rates of rapid response can be improved by
 providing patients with visual of symptom change in the first weeks of treatment.
 Investigators hypothesize that there will be significant correspondence between the WSC and
 clinical interview. Investigators also hypothesize that being given a visual of symptom
 change in the first weeks of treatment will result in higher rates of rapid response in
 patients being encouraged to achieve these objectives; and that rapid response will be
 related to higher rates of symptom remission at the end of treatment. Participants will be 40
 patients diagnosed with Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder or Purging Disorder. These
 patients will be spread across 6 treatment groups. Three groups will be randomly selected
 (balanced across clinicians) to either receive or not receive visual feedback on change in
 frequency of symptoms based on their responses to the Weekly Symptom Checklist (WSC).
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  BMI (Body Mass Index) over 19

 -  Diagnosis of Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, or Other Specified Feeding and
 Eating Disorder (OSFED) Purging Disorder.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  BMI below 19