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Publication Date

2021

First Advisor

Caitlin Shepherd

Document Type

Honors Project

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Keywords

Disordered eating, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Undergraduates, mHealth

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated promising results regarding the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy among people with eating disorders. Mobile mental health interventions have also shown potential, both for populations with disordered eating and undergraduates. The current study sought to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of an app-based ACT intervention in a sample of undergraduates with disordered eating. Ninety-seven individuals were screened, with 17 completing full screenings. The two eligible participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention condition (i.e., using ACT iCoach for three weeks) or the waitlist condition (i.e., waiting three weeks before using the app). While some obstacles to recruitment limited the sample size, the high volume of pre-screenings indicates interest within the target population. Participants reported only a few questions about measures and intervention procedures. Though usage rates varied, participants provided favorable ratings on the System Usability Scale. Scores on the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory reflected the expected pattern of increased psychological flexibility, and one participant’s inflexibility score also decreased. However, both participants demonstrated an increase in disordered eating, as evidenced by Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire scores, contrary to the predicted pattern. A data simulation in R was utilized to demonstrate the procedure for analyzing this data. The suitability of the measures and reasonable acceptability ratings indicate that a mobile ACT intervention for undergraduates with disordered eating merits further investigation. Future research should seek to optimize protocols to improve recruitment rates.

Rights

©2021. Hallie Anne Brown

Language

English

Comments

70 pages : illustrations. Includes bibliographical references (pages 36-47)

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