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Background Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is recommended for the treatment of depression and anxiety. However, access is limited. Low-intensity approaches such as guided CBT self-help (bibliotherapy) can increase access to treatment and is recommended by UK guidelines. No previous research has explored the provision of group-based guidance/support for a bibliotherapy approach for depression and anxiety in community settings. The objective was to carry out a pilot study of a group guided self-help intervention, using community based recruitment methods. Method A randomised controlled trial comparing an 8 week CBT group guided self-help intervention to usual care. Recruitment and the delivery of the intervention were carried out in Glasgow and Derry/Londonderry in partnership with national depression charities. Fifty-three people were randomised, however we refer only to the forty-six participants who provided baseline data: 16 males and 30 females, aged 16 or over, with a PHQ-9 score of ≥ 5, were recruited from the community. The mean age of the sample was 43.7 (sd = 13) and 93.5% of participants had suffered from low mood for a year or more. Results There was effective recruitment, randomisation, uptake and adherence with 21 Immediate Access (IA) and 25 Delayed Access Control (DAC) participants. The intervention was highly acceptable to participants attending on average 4.46 of the 8 sessions (sd 3.06), 65.2% attended more than half of all sessions. The mean satisfaction on the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire was 28 out of 32 (sd 4.8). The provisional results in the pilot suggest the intervention may improve both anxiety and depression. At three months, data collection was achieved from 74% of participants. The trial successfully provided estimates of the sample size needed for the future planned trial. Conclusions Low-intensity group-based classes may offer an alternative method of managing depression and anxiety and warrant further research. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN84893887. Registered 3 November 2011.

Background: Bulimia nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder with many physical, psychological and social consequences. Guided self-help (GSH) is recommended in the treatment of BN (NICE, 2004). One of the ways in which to provide GSH is via the internet using evidence-based packages with regular support from a clinician or trained support worker. Aims: The aim of this community-based survey was to investigate attitudes towards online self-help for eating disorders and the support required whilst using such an approach. Method: Two-hundred and fifty-three participants with bulimic symptoms completed the survey. The sample was recruited primarily online. The mean age was 29.11 years (SD = 8.67; min = 16, max = 64). Results: Attitudes towards online self-help (SH) for eating disorders were very positive. The inclusion of some form of support to accompany such an intervention was important to the majority of participants. Remote mediums of support such as e-mail, a forum and text messaging were most often selected as helpful. Most participants expressed a preference for weekly support contacts and for flexible support lengths that could respond to support needs as required. Conclusions: Online self-help for eating disorders is a desirable treatment option for many individuals. The information gathered regarding preferences in the type, medium, duration and frequency of support could be used in the development of future self-help strategies in order to maximize uptake, retention and outcomes.

BackgroundCognitive behavioral therapy is recommended in the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines for the treatment of bulimia nervosa. In order to make this treatment option more accessible to patients, interactive online CBT programs have been developed that can be used in the user’s own home, in privacy, and at their convenience. Studies investigating online CBT for bulimic type eating disorders have provided promising results and indicate that, with regular support from a clinician or trained support worker, online CBT can be effective in reducing bulimic symptoms. Two main factors distinguish this study from previous research in this area. First, the current study recruited a wide range of adults with bulimic type symptoms from the community. Second, the participants in the current study had used cCBT with support from a nonclinical support worker rather than a specialist eating disorder clinician. ObjectiveTo investigate participants’ experiences of using an online self-help cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) package (Overcoming Bulimia Online) for bulimia nervosa (BN) and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS). MethodsEight participants with a mean age of 33.9 years took part in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a 6-step thematic analysis process. ResultsSaturation was achieved, and 7 themes were identified in the dataset. These were: (1) conceptualizing eating disorders, (2) help-seeking behavior, (3) aspects of the intervention, (4) motivation to use the online package, (5) privacy and secrecy with regard to their eating problems, (6) recovery and the future, and (7) participant engagement describing individuals’ thoughts on taking part in the online research study. ConclusionsParticipants suggested that online CBT self-help represented a generally desirable and acceptable treatment option for those with bulimic type eating problems, despite some difficulties with motivation and implementation of some elements of the package. Trial RegistrationInternational Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number of the original RCT that this study is based on: ISRCTN41034162; http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN41034162 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6Ey9sBWTV)