Evaluation of an 8-week telehealth cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) program for adults with muscle dysmorphia: A pilot and feasibility study

Abstract

Muscle dysmorphia (MD) is a psychological disorder defined by a pathological belief that one lacks muscularity and has excess body fat. To date, treatment research on MD has been sparse. We conducted a pilot feasibility and acceptability study investigating the preliminary efficacy of an 8-week telehealth cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention for adults with diagnosed MD. We recruited 10 adults living in Australia who completed eight weekly individual telehealth sessions of a pilot CBT program. We administered a battery of questionnaires assessing MD symptoms, compulsive exercise, and disordered eating at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and three-month follow-up. The program showed..