Internet and Teletherapy in Eating Disorders

The aim of this chapter is to provide a critical overview of the use of digital technology for the assessment and treatment of eating disorders. The chapter is divided into an introduction, three main sections, and concluding considerations. In the first section, the use of Internet-based interventions will be discussed, with reference to meta-analyses, systematic reviews and more recent clinical studies. The second section will describe the use of mobile applications in eating disorders. Emphasis will be given to participants’ feedback of the applications most commonly tested and to the description of the Recovery Record App, which provides a model of testing and evaluation of digital tools. The third section will provide an overview of the application of virtual reality (VR) to eating disorders. The focus will be on the two most established VR approaches within the field: VR-based Cue Exposure Therapy (VRCET) and VR interventions targeting body image. Emerging innovations will also be discussed including the adaptation of AVATAR therapy (a non-immersive VR approach developed for psychosis) to tackle the eating disorder voice. Finally, the discussion will consider future directions and recommendations to optimize the development of effective digital tools for clinical use in eating disorders.