Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2019 Jan;87(1):79-90.
doi: 10.1037/ccp0000365.

Randomized trial of a dissonance-based group treatment for eating disorders versus a supportive mindfulness group treatment

Eric Stice  1 , Paul Rohde  1 , Heather Shaw  1 , Jeff M Gau  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Randomized trial of a dissonance-based group treatment for eating disorders versus a supportive mindfulness group treatment

Eric Stice et al. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2019 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: This report evaluates a dissonance-based group eating disorder treatment designed to be a cost-effective front-line transdiagnostic treatment that could be more widely implemented than extant treatments that are more intensive and expensive relative to a supportive mindfulness group treatment typical of that offered at colleges.

Method: Young women with eating disorders (N = 84) were randomized to 8-week dissonance-based Body Project treatment (BPT) or supportive mindfulness treatment, completing diagnostic interviews and questionnaires at pretest, posttest, and 6-month follow up.

Results: Regarding primary outcomes, by 6-month follow up 77% of BPT participants no longer met diagnosis for an eating disorder versus 60% of supportive mindfulness participants (relative risk ratio = 2.22; 95% CI [1.01, 4.93]), though groups did not differ on eating disorder symptom change. Regarding secondary outcomes, BPT versus supportive mindfulness participants showed significantly lower dissonance about affirming the thin ideal at posttest and 6-month follow up (d = .38 and .32), body dissatisfaction at posttest and 6-month follow up (d = .62 and .62), negative affect at posttest and 6-month follow up (d = .49 and .48), and functional impairment (d = .36) at 6-month follow up; differences in thin-ideal internalization and abstinence from binge eating and compensatory behaviors were not significant.

Conclusions: Whereas both treatments appeared effective, BPT produced larger effects and significantly greater remission of eating disorder diagnoses than a credible alternative treatment, which is very rare for trials that have compared active eating disorder treatments. Results suggest it would be useful to refine BPT and conduct target engagement research and efficacy trials. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03259347.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Participant flow througout the study
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Agras WS, Walsh BT, Fairburn CG, Wilson GT, & Kraemar HC (2000) A multicenter comparison of cognitive-behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy psychotherapy for bulimia nervosa. Archives of General Psychiatry, 57, 459–466. - PubMed
    1. Allen K, Byrne S, Oddy W, & Crosby R (2013). DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 eating disorders in adolescents; Prevalence, stability, and psychosocial correlates in a population-based sample of male and female adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 122, 720–732. - PubMed
    1. Bardone-Cone A, Harney M, Maldonado C, Lawson M, Robinson D, Smith R, & Tosh A (2010). Defining recovery from an eating disorder: Conceptualization, validation, and examination of psychosocial functioning and psychiatric comorbidity. Behaviour Research & Therapy, 48, 194–202. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Becker C, Smith L, & Ciao A (2005). Reducing eating disorder risk factors in sorority members: A randomized trial. Behavior Therapy, 36, 245–253.
    1. Berscheid E, Walster E, & Bohrnstedt G (1973). The happy American body: A survey report. Psychology Today, 7, 119–131.

Associated data