Acquire CBT+

This supplemental app is designed as an augmentation to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for individuals with binge-spectrum eating disorders, as part of an NIMH funded clinical trial at the Center for Weight, Eating, and Lifestyle Science at Drexel University.

The Acquire app provides a platform for patients to report their meals, snacks, binge episodes and/or compensatory behaviors daily. As they log, patients will be asked about the contents of their episodes, their mood and whether they experienced any urges or loss of control. Study clinicians will be able to monitor patient logging and introduce relevant skills from the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy manuals. These key skills include regular eating, reducing hedonic restriction, reducing dietary restriction, urge management, learning to manage negative emotions, and learning triggers for binge eating. Within the app, study clinicians will be able to set weekly goals that are tailored to their patients. Based on these goals, interventions related to the six key Acquire skills may be delivered to the patients to encourage skill acquisition and use.

By delivering digital health treatment components, the Acquire app will complement and enhance the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy treatment manuals. Use of this app may help patients reflect on their eating patterns and clinicians monitor their patients’ progress while enrolled in the treatment program.