Research
Current Projects
Eating Disorders
& Trauma
This project explores the lived experiences and perspectives of both clients and clinicians on psychological treatment for co-existing trauma and eating disorders. Trauma refers to events that have had a long-term negative impact on an individual’s wellbeing.
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By examining insights from both clients and clinicians, this research aims to understand current treatment approaches and identify opportunities for improvement. The findings will help shape future research, training programs, and clinical guidelines to enhance treatment practices and improve outcomes for individuals experiencing eating disorders and trauma.
Eating Disorder
Workforce Survey
This study explores research engagement and capacity across all aspects of the Australian eating disorders workforce, including clinicians, researchers, students, and lived-experience workers. We are examining both those who engage with research in their work and those who do not.
Our aim is to understand the current level of research engagement in the workforce and identify the support needed to enhance participation in research activities. The findings will inform the development and evaluation of workforce research capacity-building initiatives led by the Australian Eating Disorders Research and Translation Centre.
The ED10 Project
The ED10 Project is a randomised controlled pilot and feasibility study evaluating two brief eating disorder interventions—10-session Guided Self-Help (GSH-T) and 10-session Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT-T)—delivered by provisional psychologists in a rural setting.
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Most empirically supported eating disorder interventions average 20 sessions (NEDC, 2020), yet Medicare subsidies only cover 10 sessions for mild-to-moderate severity eating disorders. There is a growing need for evidence-based 10-session treatments, particularly in rural and remote areas where access to services is limited. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness, and workforce development impact of these briefer interventions in a regional Australian setting.
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This project targets the Murray Primary Health Network Northeast Region, an area with a recognised lack of eating disorder services. It is based at La Trobe University Wodonga, with provisional psychologists delivering treatment from both La Trobe University Wodonga and Eating Disorders Victoria (Melbourne).
The project has been supported through funding from La Trobe University, the Murray Primary Health Network, government contributions, community donations, and local councils. Progress to date:
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16 provisional psychologists have received training, supervision, and completed placements in the program.
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46 participants have accessed treatment, with final post-treatment data collection now complete.
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The study has enabled the development and refinement of referral, treatment, and discharge processes for brief eating disorder interventions.
We are now preparing the final data for analysis and manuscript submission, including retention rates, treatment acceptability, and intervention effectiveness in reducing disordered eating symptoms. This study will also inform efforts to secure long-term service and research funding to continue and expand this work.
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Data collection is now complete, and we are preparing the findings for publication and dissemination.
Restore the Balance
Lived Experience Advisory Group
This project focuses on establishing an advisory group for adults with lived experience of an eating disorder in a larger body. This may include individuals who have had healthcare professionals raise concerns about obesity, adiposity, or weight loss.
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Our goal is to identify best-practice approaches for setting up an advisory group within this population, including the training and support participants find most beneficial. The study also explores the lived experiences of advisory group members in relation to eating disorders.
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Using a co-production framework, participants have played a key role in shaping the study’s design and findings. Their insights are included in research outputs to ensure the study reflects lived experience perspectives.
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Data collection is now complete, and we are preparing the findings for publication.
The Stepped Care Project
The Stepped Care Project is a randomised controlled pilot and feasibility project comparing standard eating disorder best practice treatment to a stepped-care treatment program. The recommended first-line approach to treating eating disorders is 20 sessions of CBT-E. However, many consumers respond to less intensive interventions.
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Based on this finding clinical practice guidelines suggest starting with less intensive interventions (e.g., CBT-based guided self-help) and “stepping up” to more intensive interventions if required. While this is the recommended approach, the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the stepped-care model has never been tested.
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The Stepped Care Project aims to do just that. Treatment is delivered via a combination of in-clinic and telehealth. While the project is open to participants across Australia, we prioritise recruitment of Victorian participants.
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We have now completed intervention and post-intervention assessment. Longer term assessment is ongoing. This project has provided interventions to 111 participants (63 complete) and has supported the placement of 19 Masters of Clinical Psychology students from six universities across Victoria, Australia.
Ozempic
Study
The Ozempic Study is an anonymous online questionnaire being conducted by researchers at InsideOut Institute and LaTrobe University. It aims to understand who is using Ozempic and similar medications, why and what their experiences have been, particularly regarding their physical and mental health, including their experiences with:
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Side effects
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Diet and lifestyle
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Disordered eating and eating disorders
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Mental health conditions
Participants will also have the opportunity to be involved in a qualitative study, which will further explore the experiences of individuals who have a lived experience of a diagnosed eating disorder and have used GLP-1 agonists to better understand experiences such as:
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The nature of people’s eating disorder and treatment
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The motivations and reasons for starting GLP-1 agonists
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The experiences of using GLP-1 agonists and the impact on physical and mental health
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The reason for stopping or changing GLP-1 agonists (if applicable)
Researchers at are inviting anyone aged 18 years and above who has used Ozempic-type drugs to share their experiences in a short survey. The more we know, the better we can understand risks and benefits, provide support and guidance for the use of these drugs.
What is involved?
Participants will be asked to complete an anonymous, 20-minute online survey.
Who can participate?
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Anyone who has used Ozempic or similar weight loss drugs for any reason.
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Aged 18 years and above.
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Worldwide
Research Capacity and Engagement in the Eating Disorder Workforce: A Qualitative Study
The translation of eating disorder (ED) research into practice can be slow, limiting the impact of new findings on prevention, treatment, and support. Strengthening research engagement and capacity within the ED workforce - including clinicians, practitioners, lived experience professionals, and researchers - may help bridge this gap.
This study explored the perspectives of Australian ED workforce members on their research engagement and capacity. Participants, including clinicians/practitioners, lived experience professionals, and researchers/academics, completed in-depth qualitative interviews via Zoom.
Thematic analysis will be used to identify key barriers and enablers to research engagement. Findings from this study will help inform strategies to enhance research capacity in the ED workforce, ultimately improving the quality and dissemination of ED research.
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Data collection is now complete, and we are preparing the findings for publication and dissemination.
Eating Disorders Single Session Family Consultation in a Regional Victorian Infant, Child, and Youth Mental Health Service
Public and private eating disorder (ED) services are facing increasing demand for youth admissions, yet treatment resources have not expanded at the same rate. This has led to extended wait times, which can exacerbate symptoms and delay intervention.
Single-session intervention (SSI) - a stand-alone session incorporating assessment, diagnosis, and psychoeducation - has been implemented in various mental health settings to address these challenges.​
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This mixed-methods study examined the impact of an ED single session family consultation on waitlist times and health outcomes for young people with EDs. It also explored the experiences of both families and clinicians participating in the intervention. The study included 12 young people and their families, recruited through the Infant, Child, and Youth Mental Health Service intake process, as well as 8 clinicians involved in delivering the intervention.
Findings will contribute to efforts to improve access to timely and effective ED interventions for young people and their families.
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Data collection is now complete, and we are preparing the findings for publication and dissemination.
Development and Evaluation of a Diet and Eating Habits-Related Quality of Life Measure (DEHQoL)
Diet can have a significant impact on quality of life (QoL), yet no existing measures comprehensively assess diet-related QoL across diverse populations and dietary patterns.
This study aimed to develop and validate the Diet and Eating Habits-Related Quality of Life measure (DEHQoL) to address this gap. Participants were recruited through email and social media networks, and psychometric analysis will be conducted following COSMIN guidelines.
A validated, widely applicable measure of diet-related QoL will enhance understanding of the relationship between diet and QoL, supporting more effective dietary interventions to improve health outcomes.
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Data collection is now complete, and we are preparing the findings for publication and dissemination.
Developing Eating Disorder Safe Principles: Scoping Review and Delphi Studies
The Australian National Eating Disorders Strategy 2023–2033 (NEDC, 2023) emphasises the need for a set of eating disorder safe principles to guide prevention and harm minimisation efforts across healthcare and broader societal settings. This study aimed to develop these principles through two research phases.
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Study 1 involved a scoping review of weight stigma-related principles, conducted across four databases (MEDLINE, Embrace, CINAHL, PsycINFO), with themes identified using content analysis. Study 2 was a two-round Delphi study, refining the principles identified in Study 1. Feedback from an Expert Advisory Group contributed to minor refinements. Participants were recruited from healthcare, education, research, policy, and lived experience sectors.
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This is the first study to establish broad eating disorder safe principles, forming the foundation for future implementation efforts. These principles will guide standardised policy development, workforce training, and research investment to support eating disorder prevention and care beyond clinical settings.
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This research informed the National Eating Disorder Collaboration’s Eating Disorder Safe Principles, available here:
NEDC Eating Disorder Safe Principles
Final Report
Data collection is now complete, and we are preparing the findings for publication and dissemination.
Research Capacity and Engagement in Early Career Eating Disorder Researchers in Australia:
A Qualitative Study
As the prevalence and severity of eating disorders (EDs) continue to rise in Australia, supporting early career researchers (ECRs) is essential to advancing high-quality research and improving the translation of findings into practice. However, little is known about the experiences of ECRs within the ED research sector.
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This study explored the current ED research workforce capacity, investigating the barriers, challenges, supports, and facilitators that influence research engagement among ECRs in Australia. Fourteen ECRs participated in qualitative interviews, which were audio recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis.
Three key themes emerged: motivations for research, barriers and challenges to research capacity, and supports and facilitators of research capacity.
Findings from this study will inform strategies to enhance research engagement and capacity-building efforts, ensuring more effective ED prevention, treatment, and support initiatives.
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Data collection is now complete, and we are preparing the findings for publication and dissemination.
Developing an Eating Disorder Workforce Tool for Neami National’s Youth Residential Recovery Services
Limited workforce training and systemic gaps in service coordination contribute to low detection and unmet treatment needs for eating disorders (EDs). Addressing these challenges, the National Eating Disorder Collaboration (NEDC) has emphasised the need for workforce development to improve confidence and skills in supporting people with EDs.
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This study, conducted in collaboration with Neami National, a community-based mental health organisation, aimed to develop and pilot an Eating Disorder Workforce Tool (ED-Workforce Tool) to guide workforce planning and implementation of ED-specific initiatives.
Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), the study explored the process of participatory design, the tool’s usability, and its feasibility in improving service capacity. Findings will support workforce development efforts and enhance service readiness to provide ED care.
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This research informed the National Eating Disorder Collaboration’s Eating Disorder Workforce Development Tool.
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Data collection is now complete, and we are preparing the findings for publication and dissemination.