Acceptability of a personalised single-session feedback intervention for eating disorders: a qualitative content analysis.

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders (EDs) are prevalent, serious conditions that often require specialised care. Barriers to treatment are numerous and include cost, waitlists, geographic limitations, and lack of services for earlier-stage illness. Single-session interventions (SSIs) hold promise as accessible, cost-effective approaches to support individuals with EDs who may otherwise be unable to access care. However, to ensure uptake and use in real-world contexts, SSIs must be acceptable to their target population. This qualitative study investigated the anticipated acceptability of an SSI for EDs that provides a personalised health reports and self-management resources. METHODS: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 individuals with EDs (including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder; 15 women, 1 gender-nonconforming). Participants had previously participated in an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study of ED symptoms and correlates. Participants were queried about: (1) interest in receiving a personalised feedback SSI based on their EMA data, and (2) preferences and opinions on the format, content, and delivery of feedback. Anonymised transcripts were inductively coded and interpreted using content analysis in NVivo. RESULTS: Results were organised into seven themes, with 24 subthemes representing participant views and recommendations. All participants wanted to receive personalised health feedback. They anticipated multiple benefits, including personalisation, potential to increase self-awareness, accessibility, and ability to share feedback reports with healthcare providers. Challenges identified were the possibility of raising unpleasant emotions, and concerns about utility or safety of feedback to those with low insight and/or severe EDs. Participants preferred SSI content to be graphical, engaging, short-form, and in a gentle or neutral tone. Most participants expressed interest in receiving personalised self-management resources. CONCLUSIONS: Content analysis of qualitative interviews indicated that our sample of people with EDs would find receiving personalised health feedback and self-management resources in the form of an SSI to be helpful. Though participants were enthusiastic about receiving health data, given concerns about utility and potential harm, a considerate approach to providing ED-related feedback is necessary. Continued involvement of lived experience perspectives in shaping personalised ED interventions is recommended.