Safety behavior reduction for appearance concerns: A randomized controlled trial of a smartphone-based intervention

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Behavioral Science
• Digital Health Interventions
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Appearance concerns are central to psychiatric conditions like body dysmorphic disorder, eating disorders, and social anxiety.
• Individuals often use appearance-related safety behaviors (ARSBs) to manage negative self-perception.
• A brief intervention targeting ARSBs was evaluated for efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a brief smartphone-based intervention designed to reduce appearance-related safety behaviors (ARSBs).
• To assess the intervention's impact on appearance concerns and associated psychiatric symptoms in women.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 203 women with elevated appearance concerns.
• Participants received a 1-month smartphone-based intervention targeting either ARSBs or unhealthy behaviors (UHBs) via daily text messages.
• Interventions included behavior checklists and reminders.

Main Results:

• Both interventions led to symptom reduction, but the ARSB intervention showed greater decreases in appearance concerns and eating disorder symptoms.
• The ARSB intervention also resulted in lower social anxiety and reduced the importance of appearance at follow-up.
• Reductions in ARSBs partially explained the treatment's effect on appearance concerns.

Conclusions:

• Targeting ARSBs directly is an effective strategy for reducing appearance concerns.
• A text-based intervention focusing on ARSB reduction appears to be efficacious and accessible for women experiencing elevated appearance concerns.
• This approach offers a promising avenue for accessible mental health support for individuals with appearance-related distress.