Efficacy of virtual delivery of a dissonance-based eating disorder prevention program and evaluation of a donation model to support sustained implementation.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate whether the prevention program reduces eating disorder risk factors and symptoms when implemented via synchronous video telepsychiatry, which could markedly increase the reach of this intervention and test whether a pay-it-forward donation model could support sustained implementation of this intervention.

METHOD

Young women at high risk for eating disorders because of body image concerns ( = 75; age range 16-27) were randomized to groups delivered virtually by peer educators or a waitlist control condition; participants who completed the for free because of past donations were encouraged to donate money so that this intervention could be provided for free to others.

RESULTS

Participants randomized to virtually delivered groups showed significantly or marginally greater pretest-to-posttest reductions in pursuit of the thin ideal, body dissatisfaction, dieting, negative affect, and eating disorder symptoms than controls. The average effect was large ( = .79), which was 49% larger than the average effect observed previously for in-person peer-educator-delivered groups ( = .53; [.76-.53 = .23/.53 = 49%]). However, only 3.6% of participants donated money to support future implementation of this intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence that the produced large reductions in eating disorder risk factors and symptoms when implemented virtually and that the effects were larger than for in-person groups suggests it would be useful to implement this prevention program virtually, which could expand the reach of this intervention. Future studies should evaluate alternative methods for supporting sustained implementation of this prevention program. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).