Correlates of interpersonal emotion regulation problems in Loss of Control eating (LOC) in youth: study protocol of the combined online and App based questionnaire, laboratory and randomized controlled online intervention i-BEAT trial

Simone Munsch; Felicitas Forrer; Adrian Naas; Verena Mueller; Marius Rubo; Fouad Hannoun; Elena Mugellini

doi:10.1186/s40359-021-00690-8

BMC Psychology (Dec 2021)

Correlates of interpersonal emotion regulation problems in Loss of Control eating (LOC) in youth: study protocol of the combined online and App based questionnaire, laboratory and randomized controlled online intervention i-BEAT trial

Simone Munsch,
Felicitas Forrer,
Adrian Naas,
Verena Mueller,
Marius Rubo,
Fouad Hannoun,
Elena Mugellini

Affiliations

Simone Munsch: Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg
Felicitas Forrer: Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg
Adrian Naas: Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg
Verena Mueller: Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg
Marius Rubo: Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg
Fouad Hannoun: Technology for Human Well-Being Institute (HumanTech), University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland
Elena Mugellini: Technology for Human Well-Being Institute (HumanTech), University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-021-00690-8
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 15

Abstract

Read online

Abstract Background Binge Eating Disorder (BED) represents a common eating disorder associated with marked health impairments. A subclinical variant, loss of control eating (LOC) is prevalent in youth. LOC is associated with similar mental distress as full-blown BED, increases the risk to develop a BED and promotes continuous weight gain. The etiology of LOC is not yet fully understood and specialized treatment for youth is scarce. Methods The i-BEAT study includes a cross-sectional and longitudinal online questionnaire study (N = 600), an App based daily-life approach and a laboratory virtual reality study in N = 60 youths (14–24 years) with and without LOC as well as a controlled randomized online treatment trial to investigate the feasibility, acceptance and efficacy of a CBT and an interpersonal emotion regulation module for youth (N = 120). The primary outcomes include self-reported as well as measured (heart rate variability, gaze behavior, reaction times in stop signal task) associations between emotion regulation problems (such as dealing with RS), psychological impairment and binge eating in a healthy control group and youth with LOC. Secondary outcomes encompass general eating disorder pathology, social anxiety, body mass index, hyperscanning behavior and therapists’ rating of patients’ condition pre and post treatment. Epigenetic correlates of RS are assessed in healthy controls and youth with LOC and explored before and after treatment. Discussion The expected findings will specify the role of interpersonal emotion regulation problems such as coping with the experience of social exclusion and rejection sensitivity (RS) in LOC and clarify, whether including a training to cope with RS adds to the efficacy of a cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT). Trial registration: German Clinical Trial Register: DRKS00023706. Registered 27 November 2020, https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00023706

Published in BMC Psychology

ISSN: 2050-7283 (Online)
Publisher: BMC
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Philosophy. Psychology. Religion: Psychology
Website: http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpsychol

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords