Demographics
Table 1 outlines the demographics of participants who completed treatment at baseline.
Table 1. Participant demographics at baseline for treatment completers (n=20)
Case
|
Allocation
|
Gender
|
Age
|
Marital
Status
|
Education
Status
|
Employment
Status
|
Age First Binge
|
Objective Binge
Episodes1.
|
Binge and Loss
Control Days1.
|
1
|
Treatment
|
Female
|
36
|
Separated
|
2-year college/trade school
|
School/training
|
33
|
7
|
7
|
2
|
Treatment
|
Female
|
57
|
Separated
|
4-year college
|
Part-time job
|
19
|
4
|
4
|
3
|
Treatment
|
Female
|
28
|
Never married
|
Part college/trade school
|
School/training
|
14
|
20
|
6
|
4
|
Treatment
|
Female
|
23
|
Married or with someone
|
High school or equivalent
|
Keeping house
|
10
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
Treatment
|
Male
|
58
|
Separated
|
High school or equivalent
|
Disabled
|
15
|
1
|
1
|
6
|
Treatment
|
Female
|
38
|
Widowed
|
4-year college
|
Keeping house
|
10
|
7
|
5
|
7
|
Treatment
|
Female
|
32
|
Married or with someone
|
4-year college
|
Full-time job
|
15
|
6
|
6
|
8
|
Treatment
|
Female
|
45
|
Divorced or annulled
|
Part graduate school
|
Full-time job
|
24
|
16
|
5
|
9
|
Treatment
|
Female
|
61
|
Married or with someone
|
Grades 7-12
|
Full-time job
|
8
|
2
|
2
|
10
|
Treatment
|
Male
|
42
|
Married or with someone
|
2-year college/ trade school
|
Full-time job
|
13
|
1
|
1
|
11
|
Waitlist
|
Male
|
47
|
Divorced or annulled
|
4-year college
|
Full-time job
|
18
|
9
|
7
|
12
|
Waitlist
|
Female
|
65
|
Married or with someone
|
2-year college/trade school
|
Part-time job
|
28
|
5
|
5
|
13
|
Waitlist
|
Female
|
42
|
Married or with someone
|
4-year college
|
Full-time job
|
16
|
10
|
7
|
14
|
Waitlist
|
Female
|
36
|
Married or with someone
|
Grades 7-12
|
Full-time job
|
15
|
3
|
2
|
15
|
Waitlist
|
Female
|
32
|
Never married
|
Part college/trade school
|
Full-time job
|
13
|
2
|
2
|
16
|
Waitlist
|
Female
|
50
|
Married or with someone
|
Grades 7-12
|
Part-time job
|
28
|
3
|
2
|
17
|
Waitlist
|
Male
|
62
|
Married or with someone
|
2-year college/trade school
|
Part-time job
|
15
|
5
|
5
|
18
|
Waitlist
|
Female
|
45
|
Never married
|
2-year college/ trade school
|
Part-time job
|
18
|
1
|
1
|
19
|
Waitlist
|
Female
|
41
|
Separated
|
High school or equivalent
|
Full-time job
|
18
|
5
|
6
|
20
|
Waitlist
|
Female
|
38
|
Separated
|
4-year college
|
Full-time job
|
13
|
8
|
7
|
In previous 7 days1.
Assessment of Feasibility
Recruitment
Participants were recruited over a period of 9 months, and this phase was protracted due to a lower than expected take-up rate. Reports from general practitioners/primary care physicians indicated the one main reason for this was the relatively lower percentage of patients with binge eating disorder within the medical practices. Twenty-eight participants were assessed for eligibility, and 5 five did not meet the diagnostic criteria for BED. All remaining participants met the inclusion criteria, but 1 chose not to participate due to being unable to commit fully to weekly treatment sessions, and 1 did not respond to contact attempts. Twenty-one participants were randomly allocated to either an immediate EFT intervention or 12-week EFT wait-list using a block randomisation method. While 3 participants allocated to an EFT wait-list expressed disappointment about not proceeding to treatment immediately, each expressed a strong willingness to continue involvement in the study.
Credibility and expectancy
The CEQ demonstrated adequate internal consistency (α=.86). Mean CEQ credibility scores remained high during early, mid and late therapy: 7.40 (SD=1.30) at Week 1, 8.01 (SD=.58) at Week 7 and 7.85 (SD=1.16) at Week 11. Mean CEQ expectancy scores also remained high during early, mid and late therapy: 6.86 (SD=1.16) at Week 1, 7.13 (SD=1.30) at Week 7 and 7.06 (SD=1.32) at Week 11 (See Table 2.) Further, significant differences were not identified in mean treatment credibility and expectancy scores from early to mid-therapy, mid to late therapy or early to late therapy.
Table 2. CEQ early, mid and late therapy mean scores for the entire sample (n=20)
|
Early therapy1.
|
|
Mid
Therapy2.
|
|
Late
Therapy3.
|
|
Early therapy to Mid therapy
|
|
Mid therapy to
Late therapy
|
|
Early therapy to Late therapy
|
|
M (SD)
|
|
M (SD)
|
|
M (SD)
|
|
t-Test
|
D
|
|
t-Test
|
d
|
|
t-Test
|
d
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CEQ credibility
|
7.40 (1.30)
|
|
8.01 (.58)
|
|
7.85 (1.16)
|
|
-2.04
|
.45
|
|
.93
|
-.16
|
|
-1.53
|
.32
|
CEQ expectancy
|
6.86 (1.16)
|
|
7.13 (1.30)
|
|
7.06 (1.32)
|
|
-1.03
|
.23
|
|
.29
|
-.07
|
|
-.75
|
.17
|
CEQ Credibility Expectancy Questionnaire; Week 11. Week 72. Week 113.
Therapy retention
One participant (4.76%) dropped out after Week 4 of the EFT treatment for family health reasons. All completing participants attended all sessions.
Immediate EFT intervention group versus EFT wait-list control group
Demographics
No significant demographic differences were found between the immediate EFT intervention and EFT wait-list control groups in relation to mean age (years), mean age at first binge (years), gender, marital status, education, and employment status. See Table 3.
Table 3. Participant demographics by treatment group at randomization for treatment completers (n=20)
|
Immediate EFT
Group
(n=10)
|
EFT Waitlist Group
(n=10)
|
|
|
Demographic
|
M (SD) or f
|
M (SD) or f
|
t (df) or Χ2
|
p-value
|
Age (years)
|
42.00 (13.16)
|
45.80 (10.73)
|
.67 (18)
|
.49
|
Age first binge (years)
|
16.10 (7.50)
|
18.20 (5.49)
|
.73 (18)
|
.49
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gender
Male
Female
|
2
8
|
2
8
|
.000
|
1.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marital Status
Married or with someone
Widowed
Divorced or annulled
Separated
Never married
|
4
1
1
3
1
|
5
0
1
2
2
|
1.64
|
.80
|
|
|
|
|
|
Education
Grades 7-12
High school or equivalent
Part college/trade school
2-year college/trade school
4-year college
Part graduate school
|
1
2
1
2
3
1
|
2
1
1
3
3
0
|
1.86
|
.87
|
|
|
|
|
|
Employment Status
Full-time job
Part-time job
Keeping house
School/training
Disabled
|
4
1
2
2
1
|
6
4
0
0
0
|
7.20
|
.13
|
Objective binge episodes
Significant differences were found between the immediate EFT intervention group mean scores from Week 0 to Week 12 of treatment, and EFT wait-list control group mean scores from Week 0 to Week 12 of the wait-list period, in relation to objective binge episodes. Compared with the EFT wait-list control group, the immediate EFT intervention group showed significantly greater reductions in objective binge episodes with a large treatment effect (d=.98). See Table 4.
Table 4. Mean Immediate EFT Group (n=10) and EFT Waitlist Group (n=10) EDEQ and BES pretherapy and posttherapy/postwaitlist scores
|
Immediate EFT
Group
|
EFT Waitlist Group
|
|
Immediate EFT
Group
|
EFT Waitlist
Group
|
|
|
|
|
Outcome
|
Pretherapy1.
M (SD)
|
Pretherapy
M (SD)
|
|
Post Therapy2.
M (SD)
|
Post Waitlist3.
M (SD)
|
F
|
p-value
|
ηp2
|
Cohen’s d
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EDEQ objective binge episodes
|
6.90 (6.33)
|
5.10 (3.03)
|
|
2.90 (2.88)
|
5.10 (2.84)
|
6.85
|
.017
|
.276
|
.98
|
EDEQ objective binge episode days
|
4.20 (2.15)
|
4.40 (2.41)
|
|
1.50 (1.64)
|
4.70 (2.31)
|
40.09
|
.001
|
.690
|
1.39
|
BES binge eating psychopathology
|
25.60 (9.65)
|
28.30 (6.93)
|
|
20.70 (11.77)
|
29.20 (7.98)
|
12.12
|
.003
|
.402
|
.62
|
EDEQ Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire BES Binge Eating Scale ; Week 01. Week 12 of treatment2. Week 12 of wait list3.
Objective binge days
Significant differences were also found between the immediate EFT intervention group mean scores from Week 0 to Week 12 of treatment, and EFT wait-list control group mean scores from Week 0 to Week 12 of the wait-list period, in relation to objective binge episodes days. When compared with the EFT wait-list control group, the immediate EFT intervention group experienced significantly greater reductions in objective binge episode days with a very large treatment effect (d=1.39). See Table 4.
Binge eating psychopathology
Significant differences were also found between the immediate EFT intervention group mean scores from Week 0 to Week 12 of treatment, and EFT wait-list control group mean scores from Week 0 to Week 12 of the wait-list period, in relation to binge eating psychopathology. Compared with the EFT wait-list control group, the immediate EFT intervention group displayed significantly greater reductions in binge eating psychopathology with a moderate treatment effect (d=.62).
Combined Immediate EFT intervention group and EFT wait-list control group
Figure 2. and Table 5. outline combined EFT immediate intervention group and EFT wait-list control group within-group changes post the entire sample receiving treatment.
Table 5. Mean EDEQ and BES pretherapy, posttherapy and follow up scores for the entire sample (n=20)
|
Pretherapy1. M (SD)
|
|
Posttherapy2. M (SD)
|
F
|
p-value
|
ηp2
|
Cohen’s d
|
Outcome
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EDEQ objective binge episodes
|
6.0 (4.92)
|
|
2.05 (2.39)
|
19.70
|
.001
|
.509
|
.99
|
EDEQ objective binge episode days
|
4.30 (2.23)
|
|
1.25 (1.33)
|
45.93
|
.001
|
.707
|
1.51
|
BES binge eating psychopathology
|
26.95 (8.30)
|
|
18.65 (10.45)
|
24.50
|
.001
|
.563
|
1.10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posttherapy2. M (SD)
|
|
Follow-up3. M (SD)
|
F
|
p-value
|
ηp2
|
Cohen’s d
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EDEQ objective binge episodes
|
2.05 (2.39)
|
|
1.45 (1.90)
|
1.21
|
.285
|
.060
|
.25
|
EDEQ objective binge episode days
|
1.25 (1.33)
|
|
1.60 (1.82)
|
.721
|
.406
|
.037
|
.19
|
BES binge eating psychopathology
|
18.65 (10.45)
|
|
17.80 (14.69)
|
.172
|
.683
|
.009
|
.09
|
EDEQ Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire BES Binge Eating Scale; Week 01. Week 122. Week 243.
Objective binge episodes
There was a significant decrease in objective binge episode frequency scores measured over sixteen-time points including baseline (Week 0), treatment sessions (Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12) (Weeks 1 to 12), and follow up at one month (Weeks 16), two months (Week 20) and three months (Week 24) [F 1, 2.33)=4.43, p<.014, ηp2 = .189]. Mauchly's Test of Sphericity indicated that the assumption of sphericity was violated [χ2(119) = 501.42, p <.001] and therefore, the Huynh-Feldt correction was used for the ANOVA. The analyses of the changes in objective binge episodes are shown in Table 5.
Pretherapy objective binge episodes significantly decreased from 6.00 (SD=4.92) to 2.05 (SD=2.39) posttherapy with a large effect size (d=.99). There was no significant difference between posttherapy and 3 months of follow-up scores, suggesting that treatment gains were maintained.
Objective binge episode days
There was a significant decrease in objective binge episode days scores measured over sixteen-time points including baseline (Week 0), treatment sessions (Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12) (Weeks 1 to 12), and follow up at one month (Weeks 16), two months (Week 20) and three months (Week 24) [F 1, 8.44)=8.78, p<.001, ηp2 = .316]. Mauchly's Test of Sphericity indicated that the assumption of sphericity was violated [χ2(119) = 245.12, p <.001] and therefore, the Huynh-Feldt correction was used for the ANOVA. The analyses of the changes in objective binge episode days are shown in Table 5. Mean objective binge episode days decreased from 4.30 (SD=2.23) pretherapy to 1.25 (SD=1.33) posttherapy with a very large effect size (d=1.51). There was no significant difference between posttherapy and 3 months of follow-up scores, suggesting that treatment gains were maintained.
Binge eating psychopathology
The BES demonstrated adequate internal consistency (α =.90). There was a significant decrease in binge eating psychopathology within-group scores measured over sixteen-time points including baseline (Week 0), treatment sessions (Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12) (Weeks 1 to 12), and follow up at one month (Weeks 16), two months (Week 20) and three months (Week 24) [F 1, 4.04)=9.84, p<.001, ηp2 = .341]. Mauchly's Test of Sphericity indicated that the assumption of sphericity was violated [χ2(119) = 314.28, p <.001] and therefore, the Huynh-Feldt correction was used. Pretherapy mean BES scores significantly decreased from 26.95 (SD=8.29) to 18.65 (SD=10.45) posttherapy with a large effect size (d=1.10) [see Table 5.]. Pre to posttherapy, the number of participants with severe binge eating range decreased from 14 to 6, and the number of non-binge eating participants increased from 3 to 11. There were 3 participants with mild to moderate binge eating at pre and posttherapy. At 3-month follow-up, there were 12 participants in the non-binge eating range, 1 mild to moderate and 7 in the severe range. There was no significant difference between posttherapy and 3-month follow-up scores, indicating that treatment gains were maintained.