BEfree: A new psychological program for binge eating that integrates psychoeducation, mindfulness, and compassion.
José Pinto-Gouveia, Sérgio A Carvalho, Lara Palmeira, Paula Castilho, Cristiana Duarte, Cláudia Ferreira, Joana Duarte, Marina Cunha, Marcela Matos, Joana Costa
Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy January 25, 2017 DOI: 10.1002/cpp.2072 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled longitudinal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 36 |
| Population | Overweight or obese women with binge eating disorder |
| Intervention | mindfulness |
| Duration | 6-month postintervention follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Treatment outcome Combined modality therapy Longitudinal studies Follow-up studies Program evaluation Empathy Health education Adult Female Binge-eating disorder Obesity Compassion Binge eating Efficacy study Befree |
| Key findings | BEfree eliminated binge eating disorder and reduced eating psychopathology, depression, shame, self-criticism, body-image psychological inflexibility, and body-image cognitive fusion, while improving obesity-related quality of life and self-compassion relative to a waiting list; these results were maintained at 3- and 6-month follow-up. The authors suggest the program is efficacious and that integrating psychoeducation, mindfulness, and self-compassion benefits treatment of binge eating in overweight or obese women. |
Abstract
Binge eating disorder (BED) is associated with several psychological and medical problems, such as obesity. Approximately 30% of individuals seeking weight loss treatments present binge eating symptomatology. Moreover, current treatments for BED lack efficacy at follow-up assessments. Developing mindfulness and self-compassion seem to be beneficial in treating BED, although there is still room for improvement, which may include integrating these different but complimentary approaches. BEfree is the first program integrating psychoeducation-, mindfulness-, and compassion-based components for treating women with binge eating and obesity.
Objective: To test the acceptability and efficacy up to 6-month postintervention of a psychological program based on psychoeducation, mindfulness, and self-compassion for obese or overweight women with BED.
Design: A controlled longitudinal design was followed in order to compare results between BEfree (n = 19) and waiting list group (WL; n = 17) from preintervention to postintervention. Results from BEfree were compared from preintervention to 3- and 6-month follow-up.
Results: BEfree was effective in eliminating BED; in diminishing eating psychopathology, depression, shame and self-criticism, body-image psychological inflexibility, and body-image cognitive fusion; and in improving obesity-related quality of life and self-compassion when compared to a WL control group. Results were maintained at 3- and 6-month follow-up. Finally, participants rated BEfree helpful for dealing with impulses and negative internal experiences.
Conclusions: These results seem to suggest the efficacy of BEfree and the benefit of integrating different components such as psychoeducation, mindfulness, and self-compassion when treating BED in obese or overweight women. Key practitioner message: The current study provides evidence of the acceptability of a psychoeducation, mindfulness, and compassion program for binge eating in obesity (BEfree); Developing mindfulness and self-compassionate skills is an effective way of diminishing binge eating, eating psychopathology and depression, and increasing quality of life in women with obesity; Integrating psychoeducation, mindfulness, and compassion seem to be effective in diminishing binge eating, with results maintained up to 6-month postintervention.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- MITIG.RA: study protocol of a tailored psychological intervention for managing fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis randomized controlled trial. Trials October 6, 2023
- Mindfulness-based interventions for binge eating: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Behavioral Medicine February 2025
Cites 3
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Defining mindfulness by how poorly I think I pay attention during everyday awareness and other intractable problems for psychology's (re)invention of mindfulness: Comment on Brown et al. (2011). Psychological Assessment 2011
- Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training for Treating Binge Eating Disorder: The Conceptual Foundation Eating Disorders December 21, 2010