SEED: a phone app to treat eating disorder symptoms in gay and bisexual cis-men
About this study
Researchers at the University of Melbourne are looking for gay and bisexual cis-men with body image and/or eating difficulties to trial the SEED app. SEED is 10-week app-based prevention and early intervention program targeting eating disorder symptoms in adults. Despite increasing awareness of the risk and protective factors for eating disorders and efficacious approaches to treat symptoms, a significant treatment gap remains. It is estimated that only 25% of individuals with an eating disorder receive treatment. This gap is exacerbated for certain high-risk under-serviced groups (e.g., queer men men) with needs that are not satisfied by current front-line treatment options. Our eHealth intervention, SEED, specifically focuses on eating disorders among queer men and therefore is both needed and timely.
2. Depending on your answers to these questions, you may be invited to participate in an interview to follow up in some more detail about your experiences with the topics you have been asked about in this survey (e.g., your body image and eating attitudes and behaviours). The purpose of this interview is to further explore whether the app would be a good fit for you.
3. If you are eligible to participate in this research and to test the SEED app, we will check in with you a few times over the next 12 months to see how you are faring after having used the app. This is a really important part of the project to help us to understand how the app works and to be sure it can help other people in the future.
4. Please note that the following are exclusion criteria for this trial of the SEED app, as the app does not currently provide tailored support for these concerns: current diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa, Atypical Anorexia Nervosa, and/or Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder; and current suicidal intent.
Dr Scott Griffiths, Telephone: +61 3 9035 3047, scott.griffiths@unimelb.edu.au