Researchers at Deakin University are currently recruiting participants for a study evaluating the effectiveness of a smartphone-based stress-reduction intervention for binge eating and related behaviours.

What is the study about?
Eating is a common and normal way to soothe, cope with, or distract from stress. However, some people can find that their eating behaviours become unhelpful, distressing, or the only tool they have in their stress-management tool-box. This study provides tools using a smartphone application that supports people to monitor their stress levels and engage in a variety of stress-reduction activities. These activities may help you to reduce your stress levels, ease unhelpful or distressing eating behaviours, and build up a tool-box of coping methods.

Who can participate?
We are looking for adults (aged 18 years or over) who identify as a woman, own a smartphone, and experience eating behaviours that you feel are distressing or unhelpful. These may include binge eating, eating until uncomfortably full, and feeling a sense of loss of control whilst eating. You may describe your eating as binge eating, emotional eating, mindless eating, stress eating, overeating, or a different descriptor.

What does participation involve?
1. You’ll be asked to complete a 10 to 20-minute survey at the start and end of the study, and then again one month later. These surveys ask about demographics, your mood, and eating behaviours.
2. You will be randomised to either the intervention group or the control group.
3. If you are randomised to the control group, you’ll be asked to monitor your mood and eating behaviours four-times per day for four weeks. After this, you’ll be provided with access to the intervention content.
4. If you are randomised to the intervention group, you’ll be asked to monitor your stress levels four times per day for four weeks. You’ll also receive unlimited access to stress-reduction activities, which include audio files for breathing exercises, gratitude practices, mindfulness activities, and relaxation exercises.

More information is available here: https://bit.ly/2Jxa2p0