Effectiveness of Group EFT for Transdiagnostic Eating Disorders/Difficulties Within Student Counselling Services.

NCT06779838 | Enrolling By Invitation

• 1 other identifier: ETH2324-0310
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 24
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

What is the purpose of the study? Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is a therapeutic approach that helps individuals identify, explore, and transform difficult emotions to improve emotional wellbeing and resolve psychological issues. While there is a growing body of evidence for the effectiveness of both individual and group EFT with a range of difficulties, including eating disorders, this has not yet been sufficiently explored within university counselling services. The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a group EFT intervention for students experiencing eating disorders or concerns related to eating, weight, and shape. The study aims to determine whether this type of therapy can be effectively delivered within a university counselling service, and if it could potentially improve participants' mental health and wellbeing.

Conditions

Anorexia Nervosa; Bulimia; Binge Eating Disorder; Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified; Eating Disorder Symptom and Body Image Dissatisfaction

Keywords

Emotion focused therapy; eating disorder; body weight shape concerns; university counselling services; group emotion focused therapy; inner critic eating disorder; transdiagnostic eating disorders

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q)

  A 28-item self-report questionnaire, measuring the range, frequency and severity of behaviours associated with a diagnosis of an ED. It is categorised into 4 subscales (Restraint, Eating Concern, Shape Concern and Weight Concern) and an overall global score, with a higher score indicating more problematic eating difficulties. To obtain a particular subscale score, the ratings for the relevant items are added together and the sum divided by the total number of items forming the subscale. To obtain an overall or 'global' score, the four subscales scores are summed and the resulting total divided by the number of subscales (i.e. four). Subscale scores are reported as means and standard deviations. Likert scale ranges from 0 to 6, therefore minimum score is 0 and maximum score is 6.

  From baseline prior to the intervention/control condition beginning to post-intervention (2-4 weeks post-intervention)

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• The Clinical Impairment Assessment Questionnaire (CIA)

  From baseline prior to the intervention/control condition beginning to post-intervention (2-4 weeks post-intervention)

• The Forms of Self-Criticism/Attacking & Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS)

  From baseline prior to the intervention/control condition beginning to post-intervention (2-4 weeks post-intervention)

• Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-Short Form (DASS-21)

  From baseline prior to the intervention/control condition beginning to post-intervention (2-4 weeks post-intervention)

• Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS) 34

  From baseline prior to the intervention/control condition beginning to post-intervention (2-4 weeks post-intervention)

• Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS)

  From baseline prior to the intervention/control condition beginning to post-intervention (2-4 weeks post-intervention)

Study Arms (2)

Treatment: group emotion focused therapy intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

The intervention is a 10 to 12-week (depending on number of participants recruited \[intervention is n+2 weeks long\] closed therapy group for students seeking support regarding issues related to eating, weight and shape concerns. Group members will be facilitated to recognise and explore some of the difficult emotions underlying these issues. In particular, the group will focus on 'taming' the inner critic, that part of ourselves that criticises or chastises us for not being good enough. By identifying the critic in ourselves and by witnessing it in others, group members may be better positioned to figure out what they really need from themselves at times of difficulty. There will be some information provided around eating and emotions, with the focus of the sessions being on experiential exercises under the guidance of the group facilitators.

Other: Group Emotion Focused Therapy Intervention

Control: treatment as usual

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Students assigned to this arm will engage with the university counselling service as usual. This could include individual counselling, attending groups within the service or signposting to external agencies. Participants will be asked to state what support they have accessed.

Other: Treatment as Usual (TAU)

Interventions

Group Emotion Focused Therapy Intervention OTHER

The EFT group intervention: Taming the Inner Critic: Emotion-Focused Group Therapy for Eating and Body Concerns. This group is a 10-12 week (number of participants=8-10 +2 sessions) closed therapy group for students seeking support regarding issues related to eating and/or body concerns. Working one-to-one and within the group, group members will be facilitated to recognise and explore some of the difficult emotions underlying and driving eating and/or body related issues. In particular, the group will focus on 'taming' the inner critic, that part of ourselves that criticises or chastises us for not being good enough. By identifying the critic in ourselves and by witnessing it in others, group members will be better positioned to figure out what they really need from themselves at times of difficulty, and thus better able to access self-compassion and self-assertion. There will be some psychoeducation, both around eating and emotions, but this will be largely in a handout format, with

Treatment: group emotion focused therapy intervention

Treatment as Usual (TAU) OTHER

Treatment that would otherwise be offered by the university counselling service (one on one counselling, a group, or signposting to external support).

Control: treatment as usual

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• \. Open referral with the counselling/student support service, meaning students can engage in a screening appointment with a group facilitator 2. Global EDE-Q Score ≥ 2.77 (cutoff for disordered eating in the general population as per EDE-Q norms attached).
• or Score ≥ Mean + 1 SD on at least one EDE-Q subscale (Restraint, Eating Concern, Shape Concern, or Weight Concern) 3. Have body mass index (BMI) greater than 15kg/m2 4. Have sufficient English for talking therapy 5. Over the age of 18

You may not qualify if:

• \. Considerable psychological risk, including active suicidal plans 2. Comorbidity taking priority 3. Alcohol/substance use disorder 4. Psychosis 5. Risk of harm towards others 6. Participating in concurrent psychological one-to-one or group treatment 7. Diagnosed intellectual disability impeding ability to access therapy 8. Pregnant

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Canterbury Christ Church University: lead
• University of Leeds: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Canterbury Christ Church University

Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN12YG, United Kingdom

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Anorexia Nervosa; Bulimia; Binge-Eating Disorder; Feeding and Eating Disorders

Interventions

Therapeutics

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mental Disorders; Hyperphagia; Signs and Symptoms, Digestive; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Participants will be assigned to either the intervention group or a treatment as usual control group

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 6, 2025
• First Posted: January 17, 2025
• Study Start: February 6, 2025
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Last Updated: March 24, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

GB (1)