The feasibility of emotion-focused therapy for binge-eating disorder: a pilot randomised wait-list control trial

Abstract Background Research into psychotherapy for binge-eating disorder (BED) has focused mainly on cognitive behavioural therapies, but efficacy, failure to abstain, and dropout rates continue be problematic. The experience of negative emotions is among the most accurate predictors occurrence binge eating episodes in BED, suggesting benefits exploring psychological treatments with a more specific focus role emotion. present study aimed explore feasibility individual emotion-focused therapy (EFT) as treatment BED by examining outcomes pilot randomised wait-list controlled trial. Methods Twenty-one participants were assessed using variety measures relating recruitment, credibility expectancy, retention, objective days, psychopathology outcomes. consisted 12 weekly one-hour sessions EFT maladaptive over 3 months. A mixed model approach was utilised one between effect (group) one-way analysis variance (ANOVA) test hypothesis that immediately receiving would demonstrate greater degree improvement psychopathology, compared wait-list; within (time) repeated-measures ANOVA participation intervention result significant improvements outcome from pre post-therapy then maintained at follow-up. Results Recruitment, retention indicated feasible BED. Further, demonstrated control group participants. When received data combined who initially treatment, entire sample. Conclusions These findings provide further preliminary evidence support extensive trials assess efficacy. Trial registration retrospectively registered Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ( ACTRN12620000563965 ) 14 May 2020.