Prevention of eating disorders is an important mental health goal given the cost of treating eating disorders and the substantial morbidity and mortality associated with these disorders. Research supports the use of both a cognitive dissonance program targeting thin-ideal internalization and a healthy weight management program in preventing the onset of bulimic behaviors and in reducing eating disorder risk factors (e.g., Stice, Chase, Stormer, & Appel, 2001; Stice, Shaw, Burton, & Wade, in press; Stice Trost, & Chase, 2003). Although this research is promising, it is unclear to what degree results from these published efficacy trials will generalize non-research settings, which are subject to different conditions (e.g., lack of doctoral level clinicians to implement programs, requirements of social systems that might employ such programs). The proposed pilot study examines the effectiveness of a dissonance eating disorders prevention program and a healthy weight prevention program in female collegiate athletes. In contrast to the above trials, this study will examine the effectiveness of these interventions when they are implemented without doctoral level clinicians, and while addressing the """"""""real world"""""""" constraints of a relevant system (i.e., a competitive athletics program). Previous research indicates that dissonance can be implemented using trained, undergraduate peer facilitators (Becker, Smith & Ciao, submitted). This study will utilize the training model developed for Becker et al. to train undergraduate female athletes as peer facilitators. Because individuals in charge of social systems (e.g., athletics departments) typically want to implement programs to all members of the system, and have the authority to semi-mandate members into programs, the study will be separated from the program it assesses. The program will involve random assignment of female athletes to either a dissonance or healthy weight intervention. The study will consist of participants completing pre, post, and 6-week and 1-year follow-up measures to assess the utility of the interventions. This pilot study will investigate whether or not these interventions remain effective when implemented under conditions with a higher degree of generalizability than in previous studies. It also will extend prevention research into an important eating disorders target population, namely female athletes. Finally, it further explores the use of peer facilitators and the use of existing social systems, such as athletic departments, in eating disorders prevention. Prevention of eating disorders is an important mental health goal given the cost of treating eating disorders and the substantial morbidity and mortality associated with these disorders. Female athletes represent an important eating disorders prevention population given their risk for the female athlete triad, which consists of disordered eating, irregular or cessation of menses, and osteoporosis. This pilot study will investigate whether or not two eating disorder prevention programs with substantial empirical support (i.e., cognitive dissonance prevention and healthy weight prevention) can be used to reduce eating disorder risk factors in female college athletes. ? ? ?
| Stewart, T M; Plasencia, M; Han, H et al. (2014) Moderators and Predictors of Response to Eating Disorder Risk Factor Reduction Programs in Collegiate Female Athletes. Psychol Sport Exerc 15:713-720 |
| Becker, Carolyn Black; McDaniel, Leda; Bull, Stephanie et al. (2012) Can we reduce eating disorder risk factors in female college athletes? A randomized exploratory investigation of two peer-led interventions. Body Image 9:31-42 |
| Becker, Carolyn Black; Stice, Eric; Shaw, Heather et al. (2009) Use of empirically supported interventions for psychopathology: can the participatory approach move us beyond the research-to-practice gap? Behav Res Ther 47:265-74 |
