Game-based early help for eating and body-image concerns
FlexED: A Digital, Gamified Early Intervention for Eating Disorders
A gamified smartphone program to help teens and young adults with early signs of eating disorders build body-image flexibility and healthier coping skills.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10950398 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would use a digital, game-like program developed with input from young people to practice handling upsetting body thoughts and feelings without turning to disordered eating. The program is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and uses interactive, fun exercises to train skills called body-image flexibility. It was piloted in an initial proof-of-concept and this project is expanding that work to reach more adolescents and young adults who notice early symptoms. Most activities happen on your phone or online, with some study check-ins managed by Duke University researchers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adolescents and young adults who are showing early signs of disordered eating or persistent body dissatisfaction and who can use a smartphone or the internet.
Not a fit: People with severe, long-standing, or medically unstable eating disorders will likely need higher-intensity, in-person medical and psychiatric care and may not benefit from this low-intensity digital program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If it works, this program could reduce the chance that early eating problems become more serious and improve daily functioning and body-image resilience.
How similar studies have performed: Early pilot data are promising, but using gamified ACT to train body-image flexibility for early eating disorder prevention is relatively new and not yet widely tested.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Merwin, Rhonda M — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Merwin, Rhonda M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.