A Pilot Evaluation of a Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Program for Individuals With an Eating Disorder Waitlisted for Treatment

Abstract

Objective: Increasing demand for eating disorder treatment services has placed pressure on service capacity and extended wait times. Although wait times have been associated with treatment disengagement, there is limited evidence for interventions to mitigate their impact for adults with eating disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation and impact of a pilot Brief Intervention/Therapy for Eating Disorders (bITE) for adults waiting for outpatient eating disorder treatment. Method: The bITE pilot program provided six sessions of Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for participants in Brisbane South, Australia, who were on the treatment waitlist at an outpatient specialist eating disorder service for adults. Implementation was evaluated using routinely collected participant record data and self-reported participant feedback. Impact on participants' eating disorder symptomology and psychological distress was evaluated using repeated (pre- and post-participation) self-reported measures. Results: From 90 waitlist individuals referred to the bITE pilot, 47.7% commenced and 65.1% of those completed all six sessions. Mean wait times for referral to bITE were significantly shorter (18.6 days) for those joining the waitlist after bITE implementation compared to those who joined the waitlist prior to bITE commencement (149.4 days). Participants reported significantly reduced severity of eating disorder symptomology, frequency of overeating episodes, and psychological distress after participating. Discussion: Providing bITE reduced wait time for a face-to-face intervention by approximately 18 weeks on average. These findings suggest that a brief therapeutic intervention may reduce wait time for an intermediate intervention and facilitate early improvements in symptomology. Longitudinal follow-up and comparison to alternative interventions are required.