The Body Project: Comparing the effectiveness of in-person versus virtual delivery of this group intervention

Abstract

The Body Project is an established eating disorder prevention program that targets key risk factors such as thin-ideal internalization and body dissatisfaction. Virtual delivery of the Body Project, if effective, could help improve access. Systematic and personal barriers, such as geographic location and limited availability of services, contribute to disparities in access to eating disorder prevention programs. The present study randomly assigned participants (N = 69; mean 21.7 years; 83% cisgender women) to receive the Body Project in either in-person (n = 33) or virtual (n = 36) groups. We conducted mixed effects models to assess pre-to-posttest changes in thin ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, negative affect, dietary restraint, and eating disorder symptoms. Both modalities produced large effect sizes in reduction of thin-ideal internalization and body dissatisfaction; medium to large effect sizes for reductions in dietary restraint; small to medium effect sizes for reduction in eating disorder symptoms; and in the virtual condition, there was a medium effect for reduction in negative affect. There were no significant differences in the magnitude of reduction between conditions. The average within-condition effect size across all measures was 0.58 for in-person Body Project groups and 0.70 for virtual Body Project groups. These findings suggest that the virtual delivery of the Body Project is as comparatively effective in reducing key risk factors and eating disorder symptoms as an in-person administration. Results support further research into the effectiveness and dissemination of the Body Project delivered virtually.