Feasibility and acceptability of a pilot randomized trial of a single session of imagery rescripting targeting the primary consequences of negative experiences with eating and appearance.

Background: Negative experiences related to eating and appearance (NEREAs), such as critical commentary from parents about food, are common and associated with depression and disordered eating. Imagery rescripting (IR) is a therapeutic process during which individuals are guided through recalling and bringing support into distressing memories, like NEREAs. Single sessions of IR demonstrate promise in shifting the primary negative consequences of NEREAs in clinical samples of women. The primary objectives of this pilot trial were to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a remote-delivered, single session of IR and a nutrition education control group in a community sample of adults with NEREAs.

Methods: In this parallel two-arm pilot trial, participants completed an in-person baseline visit, one remote-delivered, single-session intervention (IR or attention-matched nutrition education control), and in-person 1- and 3-month follow-up visits between February 2023 and April 2024 in Oregon, USA. Markers of feasibility included recruitment, visit and survey completion rates, and intervention fidelity; acceptability was evaluated using participant feedback and instances of adverse events.

Results: One hundred one adults completed a phone screen; 96% reported at least one NEREA. Most of these adults were ineligible because they met psychiatric disorder criteria and/or were taking medication known to influence mood and/or appetite. Thirty-two participants completed a baseline study visit; 89% of these participants (N = 27; mean age [SD] = 32.52 [15.78], range = 18-73; 56% cisgender women; 74.1% non-Hispanic White, 14.8% Asian, 11.1% Hispanic/Latine, 7.4% Black, and 3.7% multiracial) were randomly assigned (using a random number generator) to and completed an intervention condition (13 IR, 14 control). Curriculum adherence, on average, was 94% for IR and 97% for control. One-month retention was 82%, and 3-month retention was 59%. Post-intervention ratings indicated good acceptability for both arms. No adverse events occurred.

Conclusions: The delivered interventions are feasible and acceptable to a community sample of men and women; as such, a future definitive trial is recommended. Additional strategies for increasing retention are needed. Single-session interventions, like IR, have the potential for high impact and reach. They are inherently flexible and cost-effective interventions that can be delivered across systems of care, while remote delivery mitigates concerns with stigma and access.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrial.gov, NCT06610318 . Registered on 23 September 2024-retrospectively registered.