Outcomes of a Virtual Day Treatment Program for Adults With Eating Disorders-Comparison With In-Person Day Treatment

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Previous research suggests virtual eating disorder (ED) treatments are as effective as in-person care.
• The efficacy of virtual day treatment programs compared to traditional in-person formats requires further investigation in adult ED samples.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare treatment outcomes between virtual and in-person day treatment programs for adults with eating disorders.
• To assess the effectiveness of virtual ED treatment delivery in reducing ED and comorbid symptoms and improving motivation.

Main Methods:

• A nonrandomized study involving 109 adult patients who completed at least 60% of their day treatment sessions.
• Participants were allocated to either an in-person (n=55) or virtual (n=54) day treatment program.
• Outcome measures included Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) scores, body mass index (BMI), and motivation levels.

Main Results:

• Global EDE-Q scores significantly decreased over the course of treatment, regardless of whether it was delivered virtually or in-person (p=0.186).
• Body mass index (BMI) significantly increased over time in both treatment groups (p<0.001), with no significant difference between virtual and in-person modalities (p=0.779).

Conclusions:

• Virtual day treatment for eating disorders yields outcomes comparable to in-person formats.
• Virtual ED treatment represents a pragmatic and accessible option, particularly when in-person care is restricted.
• The findings support the expanded use of virtual modalities in ED treatment delivery.