An Intensive Ambulatory Care Program for Adolescents With Eating Disorders Combining In-Person and Web-Based Care:...

Area of Science:

• Adolescent psychiatry and psychology
• Digital health and telemedicine
• Clinical psychology and behavioral health

Background:

• Rising incidence of eating disorders (EDs) in adolescents post-COVID-19 pandemic.
• Limited research on hybrid care models for adolescent ED treatment.
• Need for accessible and effective interventions for youth with EDs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a novel hybrid Intensive Ambulatory Care Program (IACP) for adolescents with EDs.
• Assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of the IACP.
• Provide a flexible, family-centered, and motivational treatment approach.

Main Methods:

• Naturalistic pretest-posttest design for pilot IACP evaluation.
• Recruitment of 100 adolescents (aged 12-18) with DSM-5 diagnosed EDs over two years.
• Examination of recruitment, retention, adherence, satisfaction, and preliminary effectiveness via quantitative questionnaires.

Main Results:

• Projected recruitment of 80% and retention of 75% of eligible participants.
• Anticipated 70% adherence to weekly therapeutic sessions and data collection.
• Expected medium effect size reduction in ED psychopathology; high participant and family satisfaction anticipated.

Conclusions:

• The IACP has the potential to address a significant research gap in adolescent ED treatment.
• Successful implementation could enhance healthcare services for adolescents with EDs.
• The hybrid model offers a promising avenue for improving treatment accessibility and outcomes.