Datos preliminares de eficacia de una aplicación móvil para modificar creencias disfuncionales relacionadas con los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria en adultos

A module has been recently developed within a mobile application (App) with the purpose of addressing dysfunctional beliefs associated with eating disorders (ED). The aim of the present study was to conduct a preliminary efficacy study analysing changes after use of the App in a general adult population. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in which 86 people completed a baseline assessment, and of them, 32 people used the App for 3 minutes a day for 15 days and completed the post assessment. Results before and after use of the App showed a decrease in mean scores for dysfunctional beliefs about perfectionism associated with physical appearance, vulnerability to weight gain, and the importance of thought control, as well as an increase in self-esteem. No significant reduction in eating symptomatology or depressive symptoms was observed. The results suggest that the app could be useful in reducing dysfunctional beliefs associated with ED. Future research should test this App in controlled studies that include larger samples of the general population, as well as at-risk and clinical populations.