Title: Measurement of compulsivity, impulsivity and online activities in anorexia nervosa and their associations with symptom severity and quality of life / Compulsivity, Impulsivity and the Internet in Anorexia Nervosa (COIIN-AN)

 

Summary: Different people with anorexia have different types of problems that can vary over time. For example, some people restrict their food intake, while others might go through cycles of binging and purging. Some of the behaviours might feel quite impulsive, meaning that we do them fast, without thinking through the consequences, or focusing on short-term rather than long-term consequences. Others might feel compulsive, meaning that we might do them repetitively and according to rigid rules. These problems might change over time during treatment. There is also growing recognition that online activities, such as using social media, could affect people’s experiences of their eating disorder and the kinds of symptoms that they have. This might also change over time. We have designed this study to measure compulsivity, impulsivity and internet use over time in people with anorexia. We hope that the knowledge we gain will help mental health teams and researchers understand anorexia better. In future, greater understanding in this area might help develop new treatment approaches.

 

Research team: Dr Jeremy Solly, Academic Clinical Fellow ST2 in General Psychiatry, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust (CPFT), Dr Jaco Serfontein, Consultant Psychiatrist, CPFT and regional Lead for the Eating Disorders Provider Collaborative, Dr Julia Deakin, Consultant Psychiatrist, CPFT, Dr Konstantinos Ioannidis, Consultant Psychiatrist, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, CPFT

 

Involvement: We are looking for 2-4 people with relevant lived experience to review the research documents (research proposal, patient information sheets and consent forms) and provide feedback in writing. If needed, a zoom meeting could also be arranged to provide information about the study.

 

Time commitment: Up to 6 hrs to read the documents and provide feedback.

 

Payment: Members will receive £15 per hour for their time and contribution. Please note, this income may have implications for those claiming benefits. All income must be declared to the Inland Revenue.

For more information please contact Iliana Rokkou at iliana.rokkou@cpft.nhs.uk