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Updated: May 13, 2025

A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
Self-Guided Psychological Interventions for the Treatment and Prevention of Eating Disorders: A Meta-Analysis of
Jake Linardon1, Claudia Liu1, Zoe McClure1
1SEED Lifespan Strategic Research Centre, Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
Background:
Self-guided interventions may broaden the dissemination of evidence-based prevention and treatment protocols for eating disorders. We conducted a meta-analysis comparing self-guided prevention and treatment approaches for eating disorders to (1) control groups and (2) professionally guided self-help programs.
Methods:
Forty-six trials were included. Interventions ranged from web, to app, to CD-ROM to book-based programs. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted on numerous symptom and risk outcomes.
Results:
Only four trials recruited an unselected sample, with self-guided programs reducing shape/weight concerns over control groups (g = 0.18). Among high risk/symptomatic samples (k = 25), self-guided interventions reduced several behavioural and cognitive symptoms (gs = 0.31-0.50) over control groups, with effects being robust when adjusting for higher risk of bias and small sample trials. Among clinical samples (k = 17), evidence for the effectiveness of self-guided interventions over control groups on symptom measures was only found for binge-eating disorder, as too few studies sampled other diagnostic subtypes. Among 10 trials that compared guided to unguided self-help, we observed a significant effect in symptom reduction in favour of guided self-help (g = -0.26). Dropout did not differ between guided and unguided self-help (OR = 0.97).
Conclusion:
Self-guided interventions may be an effective, low intensity intervention format for high risk individuals or for binge-eating disorder presentations.
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