Controlled study on an eating disorders group treatment: The body project treatment

Abstract

Background and aims Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate among mental disorders. Group treatment can be an effective alternative to individual therapy because it's easier to implement and less expensive. The body project treatment is an American eating disorders group treatment based on cognitive dissonance that has produced significantly higher remission from eating disorder diagnoses than a supportive/mindfulness group treatment (77 % vs. 60 %) in the United States. Participants complete activities in and between sessions in which they discuss negative effects of pursuing the beauty ideal and engaging in disordered eating behaviors. The goal is to create dissonance that reduces internalization of the beauty ideal and eating disorder behaviors. Materials and method Women with eating disorders were assigned to the body project treatment (n = 12) or to a mindfulness-based intervention adapted to eating disorders (n = 11). Each program was composed of 1 h 30-sessions once per week over eight weeks. Participants completed a pre- and post-questionnaire assessing eating disorders, negative affect, body dissatisfaction and thin ideal internalization. Results The trial is still on-going. Expected results are a greater decrease in eating disorders symptoms, body dissatisfaction and thin internalization in the body project treatment group compared to the mindfulness based intervention group and a greater decrease in negative affect in the mindfulness based intervention group than in the body project treatment. Conclusion These results will show if cognitive dissonance is an effective means to reduce eating disorders in the French population. If results are positive, this study can help to improve the offer of efficacy of care in France.