# Using factorial design to examine efficacies of technology-based augmentations for improving treatment adherence and skills utilization in a self-help CBT program for binge eating.

> **NIH NIH R34** · DREXEL UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $227,250

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Access to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the first-line treatment for disorders characterized by recurrent
binge eating (i.e., eating large amounts of food within a discrete-time period, characterized by a sense of loss
of control) is limited. CBT for binge eating is intensive (16-20 sessions), expensive ($1,882 per patient), and
requires access to clinicians with specialized training. Self-help CBTs for binge eating are accessible and cost-
effective, however, outcomes are best when the self-help treatment is paired with periodic contact with a highly
trained clinician. Clinicians likely improve outcomes because they are trained to utilize specific behavior
change techniques for facilitating improvements in two key treatment targets including treatment adherence
and skills utilization during self-help CBT program. Given the limited availability of expert clinicians, it is critical
to understand how to enhance outcomes from self-help CBTs without clinician involvement.
Recent technological advancements have shown the potential to closely approximate the behavior change
techniques typically implemented by expert clinicians to enhance treatment adherence and skills utilization
during self-help CBT without clinician involvement. In particular, technology-based intervention factors such as
Advanced Digital Data Sharing with Coaches and Just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs) have shown
promise in emulating behavior change techniques used by an expert clinician. Advanced Digital Data Sharing
systems can perform key behavioral tasks typically accomplished by expert clinician (e.g., identify areas for
intervention and generate recommendations on how to intervene on target behaviors). Coaches (individuals
with bachelor’s degree in health-related fields) may use the recommendations generated by this system and
provide support to patients via weekly emails for improving treatment adherence and skills utilization. Thus,
Advanced Digital Data Sharing system may allow coaches to function in a more skilled way without receiving
extensive training in behavior change techniques. JITAIs are a smartphone intervention design that conducts
real-time analysis of behavioral data related to treatment targets and determines the time of delivery and
content of momentary interventions designed to improve treatment adherence and skills use. To date, no study
has tested whether these technology-based intervention factors can independently and synergistically improve
treatment targets and outcomes from self-help CBTs for binge eating without clinician involvement.
The proposed study will use a full factorial design with 76 individuals with binge eating to identify the
independent and combined synergistic efficacies of two intervention factors (i.e., Advanced Digital Data
Sharing with Coaches and JITAIs) hypothesized to 1) improve treatment adherence and skills utilization, and
2) enhance treatment outcomes when combined with a self-help CBT program ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10894090
- **Project number:** 5R34MH130480-03
- **Recipient organization:** DREXEL UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Charlotte Hagerman
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $227,250
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10894090

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10894090, Using factorial design to examine efficacies of technology-based augmentations for improving treatment adherence and skills utilization in a self-help CBT program for binge eating. (5R34MH130480-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10894090. Licensed CC0.

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