Experts' views on the implementation of digital interventions for eating disorders: a Delphi study

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Digital Health Interventions
• Eating Disorders Treatment

Background:

• Eating disorders (EDs) present a significant public health challenge.
• Access to adequate and timely professional treatment for EDs remains limited.
• Digital Mental Health Interventions (DMHIs) offer a promising solution to expand treatment access and effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To achieve consensus among German experts in eating disorder treatment.
• To identify key factors influencing the adoption of DMHIs for eating disorders.
• To understand practitioner attitudes towards DMHIs in ED care.

Main Methods:

• A two-round Delphi study involving 24 eating disorder experts.
• Qualitative interviews explored practitioner attitudes, experiences, and expectations.
• Content analysis of interviews informed a 63-item survey, rated on 10-point scales.

Main Results:

• Experts rated influencing factors highly (M=7.88).
• Consensus was reached on 48% of items in round one, focusing on data security, evidence, usability, and content.
• Consensus increased to 73% in round two, with 17 items remaining unresolved.

Conclusions:

• Practitioner attitudes and priorities are crucial for DMHI development and implementation.
• Highlighting highly-rated factors like data security and usability is key for successful integration.
• Findings inform strategies for effective DMHI dissemination in eating disorder treatment.