Category: Eating Disorders
Julia Nicholas, B.S.
PhD Student
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Cheri Levinson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Julia Nicholas, B.S.
PhD Student
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Brenna Williams, M.S.
Doctoral student
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Elizabeth Lampe, M.S.
Doctoral Student
Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nicholas Farrell, Ph.D.
NOCD
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
In the past decade, research on exposure therapy for eating disorders (EDs) has demonstrated that exposure-based interventions are effective for improving ED psychopathology (Butler & Heimberg, 2020). As most research to date has focused on treatment outcomes, questions remain about how and for whom exposure-based ED interventions work. Building upon the past decade of research on exposure therapy for EDs and what is known about exposure therapy for anxiety disorders, this symposium synthesizes findings across several types of exposure therapy (i.e., in vivo vs. imaginal, self-guided vs. clinician-guided) and treatment settings (i.e, online, outpatient, partial hospitalization) to examine mechanisms of change in exposure therapy for EDs. The ability to identify mechanisms of change across treatment types, settings, and illness subtypes will lead to optimized interventions for a wide range of ED diagnoses.
The first presenter will present data from an online, self-guided imaginal exposure intervention for transdiagnostic EDs to identify optimal fear targets and symptoms associated with greatest change in global ED pathology. The second presenter will present on within-session mechanisms of change in imaginal exposure for EDs. The third presenter will present on mechanisms of change during in vivo exposure for binge eating. The fourth presenter will present data from a partial hospitalization program to examine reductions of avoidance and safety behaviors during cognitive behavioral therapy for eating disorders.
Finally, a leading expert in exposure therapy for EDs will serve as a discussant across the presentations. The discussant will synthesize the findings on exposure-based treatment targets, change processes, and moderators of change, and discuss implications for treatment optimization and personalization. The discussant will also discuss gaps in the research and what is needed to move toward more effective ED treatments.
Presenter: Julia K. Nicholas, B.S. – University of Louisville
Co-author: Claire Cusack, M.A. – The University of Louisville
Co-author: Cheri Levinson, Ph.D. – University of Louisville
Presenter: Brenna Williams, M.S. – University of Louisville
Co-author: Mackenzie L. Brown, PhD – University of Louisville
Co-author: Cheri Levinson, Ph.D. – University of Louisville
Presenter: Elizabeth Lampe, M.S. – Drexel University
Co-author: Stephanie Manasse, PhD – Drexel University
Presenter: Nicholas Farrell, Ph.D. – NOCD
Co-author: Caroline Christian, M.S. – The University of Louisville
Co-author: Cheri Levinson, Ph.D. – University of Louisville