Digital guided self-help for eating disorders: thematic analysis of participant text messages to coaches

Digital guided self-help for eating disorders (GSH-ED) can reduce treatment disparities. Understanding program participants' interests throughout the program can help adapt programs to the service users' needs. Participants were 383 college students receiving a digital GSH-ED, who were eac...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Eating disorders 2023-03, Vol.31 (2), p.191-199
Main Authors: Sadeh-Sharvit, Shiri, Idan, Orly, Fowler, Lauren A, Fitzsimmons-Craft, Ellen E, Firebaugh, Marie-Laure, Smith, Arielle, Graham, Andrea K, Goel, Neha J, Flatt, Rachael E, Balantekin, Katherine N, Monterubio, Grace E, Karam, Anna M, Funk, Burkhardt, Trockel, Mickey T, Wilfley, Denise E, Taylor, C Barr
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
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Eating disorders
Feeding and Eating Disorders - therapy
Health Behavior
Humans
Intervention
Self help
Students
Text Messaging
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Summary:Digital guided self-help for eating disorders (GSH-ED) can reduce treatment disparities. Understanding program participants' interests throughout the program can help adapt programs to the service users' needs. Participants were 383 college students receiving a digital GSH-ED, who were each assigned a coach to help them better utilize the intervention through text correspondence. A thematic and affective analysis of the texts participants had sent found they primarily focused on: strategies for changing their ED-related cognitions, behaviors, and relationships; describing symptoms without expressing an active endeavor to change; and participants' relationship with their coach. Most texts also expressed affect, demonstrating emotional engagement with the intervention. Findings suggest that participants in GSH-ED demonstrate high involvement with the intervention, and discuss topics that are similar to those reported in clinician-facilitated interventions. The themes discussed by digital program participants can inform future iterations of GSH-ED, thereby increasing scalability and accessibility of digital evidence-based ED interventions.
ISSN:1064-0266
1532-530X
DOI:10.1080/10640266.2022.2110698