Symposium 35 - Innovative Approaches to Eating Disorder Treatment in Adults

Chair(s)

• AC

  Angela Celio Doyle, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Equip Health
  Seattle, Washington

Discussant(s)

• ER

  Erin Reilly, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Assistant Professor
  University of California San Francisco
  San Francisco, California

Presenter(s)

• CR

  Cristin Runfola, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Stanford University
  Stanford, California
• AC

  Angela Celio Doyle, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Equip Health
  Seattle, Washington
• 

  Elizabeth Lampe, M.S. (she/her/hers)

  Doctoral Student
  Drexel University
  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• KC

  Kathryn Coniglio, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Equip
  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• 

  Cheri Levinson, Ph.D.

  Associate Professor
  University of Louisville
  Louisville, Kentucky

The primary eating disorders include anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge-eating disorder (BED), and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Eating disorders are characterized by disordered eating behaviors, often include a distorted body image, and interfere with functioning. Consequences are severe, including curtailed growth, substantial medical and physical complications, and psychosocial impairment. AN specifically has the highest mortality rate of the non-substance mental health disorders. Despite the potential deadly consequences, only 20% of people are able to access care and of those who access care only 50% recover. For adults, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered the treatment of choice with randomized controlled trials showing CBT is generally more effective than comparison treatments. However, given only half of clients recover, innovative treatment strategies are needed. 

Consistent with the conference theme of improving mental health and access to evidence-based care, this symposium will discuss innovative treatment approaches for adults with an eating disorder. First, Dr. Cristin Runfola will present on the use and effectiveness of virtual reality treatment with eating disorders, which reduced binge eating and purging after 8 sessions. Second, Dr. Angela Celio Doyle will present outcomes for transition of age youth receiving virtual-based family-based treatment (FBT). Patient outcomes indicate that FBT delivered virtually is effective and may be a promising approach for young adults. Third, Elizabeth Lampe will present results from Project REBOOT, a computer-based inhibitory control training program for BN/BED, showing greater early changes in inhibitory control significantly reduced binge eating frequency post-treatment. Third, Dr. Kathryn Conligo will present results showing that cognitions about shape, weight, or calories during exercise predict later eating disorder behaviors. The application of findings to the treatment of eating disorders will be discussed. Finally, Dr. Cheri Levinson will discuss CBT-related proposed mechanisms of change when using a transdiagnostic, idiographic treatment approach. Data suggest several treatment modules targeted at specific mechanisms hypothesized to maintain eating disorders are effective in the context of personalized eating disorder treatment. As discussant, Dr. Erin Reilly integrates these presentations and discusses the necessity for innovative treatments for eating disorders in adults. These presentations will highlight recent research efforts to improve eating disorder treatment for adults with an eating disorder in order to ultimately improve recovery rates.