Usability Evaluation of a Cognitive-Behavioral App-Based Intervention for Binge Eating and Related Psychopathology: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 014544552110217
Author(s):  
Jake Linardon ◽  
Teagan King ◽  
Adrian Shatte ◽  
Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz

Despite their promise as a scalable intervention modality for binge eating and related problems, reviews show that engagement of app-based interventions is variable. Issues with usability may account for this. App developers should undertake usability testing so that any problems can be identified and fixed prior to dissemination. We conducted a qualitative usability evaluation of a newly-developed app for binge eating in 14 individuals with a diagnostic- or subthreshold-level binge eating symptoms. Participants completed a semi-structured interview and self-report measures. Qualitative data were organized into six themes: usability, visual design, user engagement, content, therapeutic persuasiveness, and therapeutic alliance. Qualitative and quantitative results indicated that the app demonstrated good usability. Key advantages reported were its flexible content-delivery formats, level of interactivity, easy-to-understand information, and ability to track progress. Concerns with visual aesthetics and lack of professional feedback were raised. Findings will inform the optimal design of app-based interventions for eating disorder symptoms.

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 421-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy L. Burton ◽  
Evelyn Smith ◽  
Maree J. Abbott

Abstract. The Eating Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ) is a valid and reliable self-report tool measuring positive and negative beliefs about binge eating. This study sought to further investigate the clinical utility of the EBQ using a clinical binge eating sample and a healthy control comparison group. Clinical participants were 74 individuals seeking treatment for eating disorders: 38 with bulimia nervosa and 36 with binge eating disorder. Healthy controls were 114 individuals recruited from the general community. Participants all completed a test battery that included the EBQ. Diagnoses of clinical participants were confirmed using the semi-structured interview, the Eating Disorders Examination, administered by a trained clinician. The EBQ and its subscales showed good internal consistency, and significant differences between the clinical and nonclinical groups were observed for EBQ total and subscales scores, but not between the two clinical groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses revealed optimal cutoff scores for the EBQ, which demonstrated excellent sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. Results from this study provide further evidence in support of the EBQ’s psychometric properties. Clinical cutoff scores can be used to assess severity of binge eating-related cognitions in both research and clinical settings.


Assessment ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 419-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelsie T. Forbush ◽  
Lindsay A. Hilderbrand ◽  
Brittany K. Bohrer ◽  
Danielle A. N. Chapa

Approximately 10% to 30% of individuals with eating disorders (EDs) are male, yet because measures often have not been tested among male participants, it is unclear whether the psychometric properties of ED measures are equivalent between sexes. The purpose of this study was to compare the test–retest reliability of common ED measures in men versus women. Participants ( N = 227; 58.1% female) completed self-report measures of body dissatisfaction, restrained eating, disinhibited eating, bulimic symptoms, and desire-for-muscularity at baseline and 2-to-4 weeks later. Intraclass correlations were used to compute retest correlations. Spearman’s rho was used to compute retest correlations for skewed and kurtotic variables. We compared 95% confidence intervals for intraclass correlation coefficients to determine whether measures differed in reliability between sexes. Most ED measures had at least acceptable test–retest reliabilities. However, few measures of disinhibited and binge eating demonstrated good reliability in men. Results highlight the utility of several ED measures for assessing symptom change over time, and the need for additional research to identify and correct for sources of gender unreliability among ED self-report measures in men—particularly for assessing constructs that include binge-eating behavior.


2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (10) ◽  
pp. 1455-1464 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. D. Wade ◽  
S. Treloar ◽  
N. G. Martin

BackgroundObjective binge eating (OBE) and self-induced vomiting (SIV) occur and co-occur across a range of eating disorders but the extent to which the risk factors for these two behaviours overlap is unclear. Examination of this overlap was the focus of the current report.MethodA population of female Australian twins (n=1002), mean age 35 years (s.d.=2.11, range 28–40), participated in three waves of data collection and were assessed for lifetime disordered eating with a semi-structured interview at wave 3 and a self-report questionnaire at wave 1; risk factors were assessed via self-report at waves 1 and 3.ResultsNon-shared environmental influences were the largest contributor to the variance of both OBE and SIV, with a more modest contribution of genetic influences. Between 5% and 14% of the environmental risk factors for OBE and SIV were shared and 27–100% of genetic risk factors were shared. SIV initiation was predicted by higher neuroticism and novelty seeking and lower maternal and paternal care, whilst lower levels of perceived paternal care, higher lifetime BMI, and a wider BMI range predicted OBE initiation. Retrospective correlates associated with both SIV and OBE onset were parental comments about weight, whilst higher levels of parental conflict, expectations and criticism was associated with OBE onset only.ConclusionsThe substantial extent of non-overlap between risk factors for SIV and OBE suggests that each of these behavioural disturbances warrants future investigation in its own right, not only when they occur in conjunction with each other.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 660-672
Author(s):  
Suzanne H. Kimball ◽  
Toby Hamilton ◽  
Erin Benear ◽  
Jonathan Baldwin

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the emotional tone and verbal behavior of social media users who self-identified as having tinnitus and/or hyperacusis that caused self-described negative consequences on daily life or health. Research Design and Method An explanatory mixed-methods design was utilized. Two hundred “initial” and 200 “reply” Facebook posts were collected from members of a tinnitus group and a hyperacusis group. Data were analyzed via the LIWC 2015 software program and compared to typical bloggers. As this was an explanatory mixed-methods study, we used qualitative thematic analyses to explain, interpret, and illustrate the quantitative results. Results Overall, quantitative results indicated lower overall emotional tone for all categories (tinnitus and hyperacusis, initial and reply), which was mostly influenced by higher negative emotion. Higher levels of authenticity or truth were found in the hyperacusis sample but not in the tinnitus sample. Lower levels of clout (social standing) were indicated in all groups, and a lower level of analytical thinking style (concepts and complex categories rather than narratives) was found in the hyperacusis sample. Additional analysis of the language indicated higher levels of sadness and anxiety in all groups and lower levels of anger, particularly for initial replies. These data support prior findings indicating higher levels of anxiety and depression in this patient population based on the actual words in blog posts and not from self-report questionnaires. Qualitative results identified 3 major themes from both the tinnitus and hyperacusis texts: suffering, negative emotional tone, and coping strategies. Conclusions Results from this study suggest support for the predominant clinical view that patients with tinnitus and hyperacusis have higher levels of anxiety and depression than the general population. The extent of the suffering described and patterns of coping strategies suggest clinical practice patterns and the need for research in implementing improved practice plans.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Marika Vowels ◽  
Katherine Carnelley

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been stuck indoors with their partners for months. Having a supportive partner is likely to be especially important during this time where access to outside sources of support is limited. Individuals have to continue to work on goals and tasks while dealing with demands caused by the pandemic. The present mixed-methods study aimed to investigate how partner support is associated with goal outcomes during COVID-19. The quantitative participants (n = 200) completed a daily diary for a week and weekly longitudinal reports for a month and 48 participants attended a semi-structured interview. The quantitative results showed that higher relational catalyst support was associated with better goal outcomes; qualitative analyses revealed partners use direct and indirect forms of emotional and instrumental support toward goal pursuit. Across both forms of data, participants’ resilience in the face of the pandemic was evident.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
MariaGabriela Uribe Guajardo ◽  
Andrew James Baillie ◽  
Eva Louie ◽  
Vicki Giannopoulos ◽  
Katie Wood ◽  
...  

Abstract (250 words)In substance use treatment settings, there is a high prevalence of comorbid mental health problems. Yet an integrated approach for managing comorbidity, implementation of evidence-based intervention in drug and alcohol settings remains problematic. Technology can help the adoption of evidence-based practice and successfully implement effective treatment health care pathways. This study sought to examine aspects of electronic resources utilisation (barriers and facilitators) by clinicians participating in the PCC training. MethodA self-report questionnaire and a semi-structured interview was designed to measure overall satisfaction with the PCC portal and e-resources available throughout the 9-month intervention for participating clinicians. An adapted version of the ‘Non-adoption, Abandonment, Scale-up, Spread and, Sustainability’ (NASSS) framework was used to facilitate discussion in regards to the study findings. ResultsA total of 20 clinicians from drug and alcohol services responded to all the measures. Facilitators of portal use included: i. clinician acceptance of the PCC portal; ii. guidance from the clinical supervisor or clinical champion that encouraged the use of e-resources. Some of the barriers included: i. complexity of the illness (condition), ii. clinicians’ preference (adopter system) for face-to-face resources and training modes (e.g. clinical supervision, clinical champion workshops), and iii. lack of face-to-face training on how to use the portal (technology and organisation).ConclusionBased on the NASSS framework, we were able to identify several barriers and facilitators including such as the complexity of the illness, lack of face-to-face training and clinician preference for training mediums. Recommendations include ongoing consultation of clinicians to assist in the development of tailored e-health resources and offering in-house training on how to operate and effectively utilise these resources.


Author(s):  
Natalie A. Emmert ◽  
Georgia Ristow ◽  
Michael A. McCrea ◽  
Terri A. deRoon-Cassini ◽  
Lindsay D. Nelson

Abstract Objective: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) symptoms are typically assessed via questionnaires in research, yet questionnaires may be more prone to biases than direct clinical interviews. We compared mTBI symptoms reported on two widely used self-report inventories and the novel Structured Interview of TBI Symptoms (SITS). Second, we explored the association between acquiescence response bias and symptom reporting across modes of assessment. Method: Level 1 trauma center patients with mTBI (N = 73) were recruited within 2 weeks of injury, assessed at 3 months post-TBI, and produced nonacquiescent profiles. Assessments collected included the SITS (comprising open-ended and closed-ended questions), Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ), Sport Concussion Assessment Tool-3 (SCAT-3) symptom checklist, and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form True Response Inconsistency (TRIN-r) scale. Results: Current mTBI symptom burden and individual symptom endorsement were highly concordant between SITS closed-ended questions, the RPQ, and the SCAT-3. Within the SITS, participants reported significantly fewer mTBI symptoms to open-ended as compared to later closed-ended questions, and this difference was weakly correlated with TRIN-r. Symptom scales were weakly associated with TRIN-r. Conclusions: mTBI symptom reporting varies primarily by whether questioning is open- vs. closed-ended but not by mode of assessment (interview, questionnaire). Acquiescence response bias appears to play a measurable but small role in mTBI symptom reporting overall and the degree to which participants report more symptoms to closed- than open-ended questioning. These findings have important implications for mTBI research and support the validity of widely used TBI symptom inventories.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 205520762098821
Author(s):  
Stephanie P Goldstein ◽  
Adam Hoover ◽  
E Whitney Evans ◽  
J Graham Thomas

Objectives Behavioral obesity treatment (BOT) produces clinically significant weight loss and health benefits for many individuals with overweight/obesity. Yet, many individuals in BOT do not achieve clinically significant weight loss and/or experience weight regain. Lapses (i.e., eating that deviates from the BOT prescribed diet) could explain poor outcomes, but the behavior is understudied because it can be difficult to assess. We propose to study lapses using a multi-method approach, which allows us to identify objectively-measured characteristics of lapse behavior (e.g., eating rate, duration), examine the association between lapse and weight change, and estimate nutrition composition of lapse. Method We are recruiting participants (n = 40) with overweight/obesity to enroll in a 24-week BOT. Participants complete biweekly 7-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to self-report on eating behavior, including dietary lapses. Participants continuously wear the wrist-worn ActiGraph Link to characterize eating behavior. Participants complete 24-hour dietary recalls via structured interview at 6-week intervals to measure the composition of all food and beverages consumed. Results While data collection for this trial is still ongoing, we present data from three pilot participants who completed EMA and wore the ActiGraph to illustrate the feasibility, benefits, and challenges of this work. Conclusion This protocol will be the first multi-method study of dietary lapses in BOT. Upon completion, this will be one of the largest published studies of passive eating detection and EMA-reported lapse. The integration of EMA and passive sensing to characterize eating provides contextually rich data that will ultimately inform a nuanced understanding of lapse behavior and enable novel interventions. Trial registration: Registered clinical trial NCT03739151; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03739151


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuela Bianciardi ◽  
Claudio Imperatori ◽  
Marco Innamorati ◽  
Mariantonietta Fabbricatore ◽  
Angelica Maria Monacelli ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for the obesity epidemic, but the poor attendance and adherence rates of post-surgery recommendations threaten treatment effectiveness and health outcomes. Preoperatively, we investigated the unique contributions of clinical (e.g., medical and psychiatric comorbidities), sociodemographic (e.g., sex, age, and educational level), and psychopathological variables (e.g., binge eating severity, the general level of psychopathological distress, and alexithymia traits) on differing dimensions of adherence in a group of patients seeking bariatric surgery. Methods The final sample consisted of 501 patients (346 women). All participants underwent a full psychiatric interview. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess psychopathology, binge eating severity, alexithymia, and three aspects of adherence: knowledge, attitude, and barriers to medical recommendations. Results Attitude to adherence was associated with alexithymia (β = ˗2.228; p < 0.001) and binge eating disorder (β = 0.103; p = 0.047). The knowledge subscale was related to medical comorbidity (β = 0.113; p = 0.012) and alexithymia (β = −2.256; p < 0.001); with age (β = 0.161; p = 0.002) and psychiatric comorbidity (β =0.107; p = 0.021) manifesting in the barrier subscale. Conclusion We demonstrated that alexithymia and psychiatric and eating disorders impaired adherence reducing attitude and knowledge of treatment and increasing the barriers. Both patient and doctor can benefit from measuring adherence prior to surgery, with a qualitative approach shedding light on the status of adherence prior to the postsurgical phase when the damage regarding adherence is, already, done.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3388
Author(s):  
Edgar Oliveira ◽  
Hyoun S. Kim ◽  
Emilie Lacroix ◽  
Mária de Fátima Vasques ◽  
Cristiane Ruiz Durante ◽  
...  

Little is known about the characteristics of individuals seeking treatment for food addiction (FA), and the clinical utility of FA has yet to be established. To address these gaps, we examined (i) the demographic, eating pathology, and psychiatric conditions associated with FA and (ii) whether FA is associated with psychosocial impairments when accounting for eating-related and other psychopathology. Forty-six patients seeking treatment for FA completed self-report questionnaires and semi-structured clinical interviews. The majority of the sample were women and self-identified as White, with a mean age of 43 years. Most participants (83.3%) presented with a comorbid psychiatric condition, most commonly anxiety and mood disorders, with a mean of 2.31 comorbid conditions. FA was associated with binge eating severity and anxiety symptoms, as well as psychological, physical, and social impairment. In regression analyses controlling for binge eating severity, food cravings, depression, and anxiety, FA remained a significant predictor only of social impairment. Taken together, the results suggest that individuals seeking treatment for FA are likely to present with significant comorbid conditions, in particular anxiety disorders. The results of the present research provide evidence for the clinical utility of FA, particularly in explaining social impairment.


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