The fear of food measure: A novel measure for use in exposure therapy for eating disorders

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheri A. Levinson ◽  
Meghan Byrne
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Exposure Therapy

Why Do People Get Better With Exposure Therapy?

2019 ◽  
pp. 19-32
Author(s):  
Carolyn Black Becker ◽  
Nicholas R. Farrell ◽  
Glenn Waller
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Therapeutic Intervention ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Therapeutic Benefit ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Systematic Desensitization ◽  
Evidence Based Treatments ◽  
Inhibitory Learning

This chapter outlines a theoretically based rationale for using exposure consistently in the treatment of individuals with eating disorders. Due to the substantial overlap between eating disorders and anxiety disorders (both in symptom content and in comorbidity between the conditions), exposure therapy is a sound choice for therapeutic intervention. Indeed, the most evidence-based treatments for eating disorders contain a number of exposure-based strategies that drive much of the therapeutic benefit. The chapter discusses habituation, systematic desensitization, and inhibitory learning and differentiates exposure therapy from systematic desensitization. Using a case study to consider how exposure therapists can help patients learn to tolerate their anxiety by leaning into it rather than engaging in safety behaviors, this chapter lays the foundation for the application of exposure therapy to patients with eating disorders.

Dealing With Clinicians’ Fears About Using Exposure

2019 ◽  
pp. 205-212
Author(s):  
Carolyn Black Becker ◽  
Nicholas R. Farrell ◽  
Glenn Waller
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Empirical Research ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Institutional Barriers ◽  
Supervisory Style ◽  
Clinical Supervisors ◽  
Levels Of Care ◽  
Remedial Strategies

In addition to the institutional barriers to exposure that are often present in higher levels of care for eating disorders, there are also clinician-level barriers that need to be addressed across clinical settings. In particular, there is a well-documented tendency for clinicians to endorse concerns about the safety and tolerability of exposure therapy, and these concerns are unfortunately predictive of suboptimal delivery of the treatment. This chapter provides guidance for clinicians in effectively navigating their concerns, with remedial strategies pulled from empirical research on reducing clinician concerns about exposure-based therapy. Clinical supervisors are also encouraged to be mindful of the potential for their own concerns about exposure to negatively influence their supervisory style.

How Well Does Exposure Therapy Work for Eating Disorders?

2019 ◽  
pp. 45-54
Author(s):  
Carolyn Black Becker ◽  
Nicholas R. Farrell ◽  
Glenn Waller
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Body Image ◽  
Strong Evidence ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Treatment Protocols ◽  
Missing Element

This chapter provides an overview of the current evidence supporting the use of exposure therapy for eating disorders. Although further research is needed (because the existing research base is relatively small compared to large exposure literature for anxiety disorders), exposure is an effective approach for addressing key transdiagnostic features in eating disorders, including eating-related fear and avoidance, body image anxiety, compulsive body checking and avoidance, and binge-eating and purging behaviors. Results are drawn from a range of study types, from single case studies to large, methodically rigorous controlled trials. Importantly, several of the studies reviewed in this chapter showed that exposure was helpful for patients who had been previously unable to derive benefit from viable alternative treatments. Thus, exposure may offer a critical “missing element” in treatment protocols that have a reasonably strong evidence base and yet leave room for improvement in outcomes.

Eating disorder symptoms and core eating disorder fears decrease during online imaginal exposure therapy for eating disorders

2020 ◽  
Vol 276 ◽  
pp. 585-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheri A. Levinson ◽  
Caroline Christian ◽  
Shruti Shankar Ram ◽  
Irina Vanzhula ◽  
Leigh C. Brosof ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Imaginal Exposure ◽  
Eating Disorder Symptoms

Exposure therapy in eating disorders revisited

2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonia Koskina ◽  
Iain C. Campbell ◽  
Ulrike Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Exposure Therapy

scholarly journals Bringing Virtual Reality From Clinical Trials to Clinical Practice for the Treatment of Eating Disorders: An Example Using Virtual Reality Cue Exposure Therapy

10.2196/16386 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. e16386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa Brown ◽  
Emily Nauman Vogel ◽  
Sarah Adler ◽  
Cara Bohon ◽  
Kim Bullock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Intervention Development ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Cue Exposure

Novel treatment options for eating disorders (EDs) are critically needed to enhance treatment outcomes and reduce the rates of treatment dropouts. On average, only 50% of individuals receiving evidence-based care remit, whereas 24% drop out before treatment completion. One particularly promising direction involves integrating virtual reality (VR) with existing evidence-based treatments (EBTs) such as cue exposure therapy (CET). Across psychiatric disorders, VR-based interventions are demonstrating at least preliminary efficacy and noninferiority to traditional treatments. Furthermore, VR technology has become increasingly portable, resulting in improved acceptance, increased access, and reductions in cost. However, more efficient research processes may be needed to uncover the potential benefits of these rapid technological advances. This viewpoint paper reviews existing empirical support for integrating VR with EBTs (with a focus on its use with EDs) and proposes key next steps to more rapidly bring this innovative technology-based intervention into real-world clinic settings, as warranted. VR-CET for EDs is used to illustrate a suggested process for developing such treatment enhancements. We recommend following a deployment-focused model of intervention development and testing to enable rapid implementation of robust, practice-ready treatments. In addition, our review highlights the need for a comprehensive clinical protocol that supports clinicians and researchers in the implementation and testing of VR-CET and identifies key missing protocol components with rationale for their inclusion. Ultimately, this work may lead to a more complete understanding of the full potential of the applications and integrations of VR into mental health care globally.

Why Exposure for Eating Disorders?

2019 ◽  
pp. 33-44
Author(s):  
Carolyn Black Becker ◽  
Nicholas R. Farrell ◽  
Glenn Waller
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Learning Model ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Inhibitory Learning

This chapter provides the rationale for using exposure therapy for eating disorders. Exposure is a very intuitive, albeit anxiety-provoking, intervention. Over the years, a number of models have been proposed to explain how exposure works. Although no one knows for sure exactly how exposure works, the recent inhibitory learning model offers a number of concrete, and logical, strategies for strengthening safety learning. Importantly, many of these strategies (e.g., varying the context of exposure and anxiety tolerance) have been clinically used by experienced exposure therapists for a long time. As such, they are backed by both the science (and logic) of the inhibitory learning model and clinical wisdom.

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