Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Intervention for Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Intervention for Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Comparison of CBT - Mindfulness to CBT Alone

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) affects 2.3% of the population and is characterized by excessive concerns with imagined or minor defects in physical appearance. Retrospective outcome studies suggest patients affected by BDD don't typically benefit from surgical treatments while cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) appears to provide symptom - reducing and distress - reducing benefits. Two different 8-week online CBT approaches to assisting individuals with this disorder are compared: one approach will integrate mindfulness meditation methods (in combination with CBT) and one approach will employ CBT methods without reference to mindfulness meditation.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) affects 2.3% of the population and is characterized by excessive concerns with imagined or minor defects in physical appearance. Retrospective outcome studies suggest patients affected by BDD typically do not benefit from surgical treatments while cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) appears to provide symptom - reducing and distress - reducing benefits. In this study two different 8-week online CBT approaches to assist individuals with this disorder are compared: one approach will integrate mindfulness meditation methods (in combination with CBT) and one approach will employ CBT methods without reference to mindfulness meditation. The purpose of this comparison is to ascertain whether the inclusions of the two additional intervention modalities, demonstrated effective in other studies, adds to positive outcome effects in this disorder. A primary hypothesis is that the 8 week post-intervention outcomes associated with the CBT-mindfulness approach will show significantly more benefit than the comparison group.

Inclusion Criteria: On the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire, responses indicating current BDD status; - Exclusion Criteria: Individuals who are currently receiving weekly structured psychotherapy or who meet DSM-V criteria for severe alcohol/substance use disorder in the past 3 months or demonstrated clinically significant suicidal ideation defined as imminent intent, or attempted suicide in the past 6 months. Individuals of co-morbid diagnoses of borderline personality, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and/or obsessive compulsive disorder are excluded. -

Kuck N, Cafitz L, Burkner PC, Hoppen L, Wilhelm S, Buhlmann U. Body dysmorphic disorder and self-esteem: a meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry. 2021 Jun 15;21(1):310. doi: 10.1186/s12888-021-03185-3.