Innovative 'Chatbot' Reduces Eating Disorder Risk!
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Chatbots are widely used in industry and have begun to be used in medical settings, although few studies have examined their effectiveness for mental health issues and none address eating disorders (EDs) or ED prevention. Engaging with a "chatbot," a computer program that simulates human conversation, helps prevent EDs in at-risk individuals, new research suggests. Results of a randomized trial show that at-risk women who interacted with the chatbot showed lower concern about their weight and body shape compared to a wait-list control group.
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@anupam EDs are a common problem with huge risk factors; and, given how widespread they are, we need scalable tools that can reach a lot of people at low cost, reduce risk factors for developing an ED — which is the second most deadly of all psychiatric illnesses — so prevention is of the utmost importance