Title: A mobile phone app for young people to manage body image difficulties associated with eating disorders.
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: stem4 s proposal is to develop a mobile phone app for young people 12+ that provides age suited education, training and techniques based on research and clinical evidence ( evidence-based treatment ). These techniques will be adapted from within a treatment framework called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which has been expanded to suit eating disorders (CBT-ED). The app will aim to target the negative effect low self-esteem has on eating and weight by providing ways to change negative thinking. It will provide opportunities to manage and express feelings that can often affect appetite and eating behaviours and ways to change unhelpful eating-related behaviours. The app will complement and extend clinical care by providing the user with the ability to use existing techniques on their own. Learning about and understanding the nature of an eating disorder is an important step in making change so the app will provide access to educational material including videos/information from local clinicians/clinics on topics such as understanding food and energy, what happens to the body when a person doesn t eat, managing excessive exercise and other eating-related information. It will provide ways to learn how to problem-solve, cope with fears of weight gain, provide tips on how to ask friends and family for support, how to manage eating issues at school and tips for parents/carers since these elements are all helpful in making and maintaining change. Once the user establishes a positive goal to work towards, it will provide information on how to start from a first, simple step and then work upwards one step at a time to reach their goal. There are very few UK-created apps for eating disorders designed to be used by young people who can t access treatment, are on a waiting list for treatment, alongside treatment or to maintain progress. Few evidence-based apps help manage the early start of an eating disorder by specifically focussing on negative body image and low self-worth which are the main triggers to generating a range of eating disordered thoughts and behaviours. stem4 has successfully brought to market four award-winning, evidence-based mental health apps for young people through an understanding of what young people need at different stages of growth - for example, what a 12-year-old wants and understands will be different to a 21-year-old. stem4 is a well-established team with strong links to both education and health. We work with our users so that the clinical models are useable by young people and their families, respond to change and develop to NHS Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC). We have a business model through a licensing framework with the NHS and other statutory settings. We hope to start distribution in Greater Manchester and then move to a UK rollout.

Lay abstract: stem4 s proposal is to develop a mobile phone app for young people 12+ that provides age suited education, training and techniques based on research and clinical evidence ( evidence-based treatment ). These techniques will be adapted from within a treatment framework called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which has been expanded to suit eating disorders (CBT-ED). The app will aim to target the negative effect low self-esteem has on eating and weight by providing ways to change negative thinking. It will provide opportunities to manage and express feelings that can often affect appetite and eating behaviours and ways to change unhelpful eating-related behaviours. The app will complement and extend clinical care by providing the user with the ability to use existing techniques on their own. Learning about and understanding the nature of an eating disorder is an important step in making change so the app will provide access to educational material including videos/information from local clinicians/clinics on topics such as understanding food and energy, what happens to the body when a person doesn t eat, managing excessive exercise and other eating-related information. It will provide ways to learn how to problem-solve, cope with fears of weight gain, provide tips on how to ask friends and family for support, how to manage eating issues at school and tips for parents/carers since these elements are all helpful in making and maintaining change. Once the user establishes a positive goal to work towards, it will provide information on how to start from a first, simple step and then work upwards one step at a time to reach their goal. There are very few UK-created apps for eating disorders designed to be used by young people who can t access treatment, are on a waiting list for treatment, alongside treatment or to maintain progress. Few evidence-based apps help manage the early start of an eating disorder by specifically focussing on negative body image and low self-worth which are the main triggers to generating a range of eating disordered thoughts and behaviours. stem4 has successfully brought to market four award-winning, evidence-based mental health apps for young people through an understanding of what young people need at different stages of growth - for example, what a 12-year-old wants and understands will be different to a 21-year-old. stem4 is a well-established team with strong links to both education and health. We work with our users so that the clinical models are useable by young people and their families, respond to change and develop to NHS Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC). We have a business model through a licensing framework with the NHS and other statutory settings. We hope to start distribution in Greater Manchester and then move to a UK rollout.

Research activity codes: 7.1 INDIVIDUAL CARE NEEDS
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH