A randomized controlled trial of an internet-based posttreatment care for patients with eating disorders.

BACKGROUND

Despite effective treatment approaches, relapses are frequent in eating disorders. Posttreatment care is essential to enhance continuous recovery and prevent deterioration. This study evaluated the effects of an Internet-based intervention following routine care.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

One hundred five women who received treatment for bulimia nervosa and related eating disorders not otherwise specified were randomly assigned either to an immediate Internet-based support program (EDINA) over 4 months or to a 4-month waiting-list treatment as usual (TAU) control condition. The primary outcome was eating disorder-related attitudes at baseline and after 4 months assessed by the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q).

RESULTS

The program proved feasible and was well accepted. A significant reduction in eating disorder-related attitudes could be shown for both groups at the end of the 4 months. There was a tendency for participants of the aftercare intervention to show better results on all outcome measures. In total, 40.6% (13/32) of the EDINA participants and 24.4% (10/41) of the TAU participants showed statistically reliable improvement on the EDE-Q total score by the end of the intervention period [χ(2)(1)=2.195, p=0.138].

CONCLUSIONS

The Internet-based support program was feasible and well accepted but did not prove efficacious in a heterogeneous sample of patients following routine care.