A Brief Cannabis Use Psychoeducation Intervention for Eating Disorder Patients

• Psychoeducation about risks of cannabis use (Other): This intervention will provide psychoeducation to eating disorder patients about the risks of using cannabis on mood, anxiety, sleep, substance use, gastrointestinal symptoms, eating disorder symptoms, and eating disorder treatment outcomes.
• Placebo control: Sleep hygiene psychoeducation (Other): Eating disorder patients in the control condition will receive psychoeducation about impacts of poor sleep on mental health and eating disorder treatment outcomes, and strategies to improve sleep hygiene.

Primary outcomes

• Knowledge of cannabis use consequences [Will be measured at baseline (i.e. 5 minutes into Session 1 of treatment for eating disorders before cannabis psychoeducation is administered), and again at 140 minutes into Session 1 of treatment for eating disorders.]: Self-perceived knowledge about consequences of cannabis use will be measured using a 100 point visual analogue scale. Higher scores will indicate greater self-perceived knowledge about the consequences of cannabis use.
• Intention to reduce cannabis use [Will be measured at baseline (i.e. 5 minutes into Session 1 of treatment for eating disorders before cannabis psychoeducation is administered), and again at 140 minutes into Session 1 of treatment for eating disorders.]: Intention to reduce personal cannabis use will be measured using a 100 point visual analogue scale. Higher scores indicate greater intention to reduce cannabis use.
• Intention to seek cannabis use treatment [Will be measured at baseline (i.e. 5 minutes into Session 1 of treatment for eating disorders before cannabis psychoeducation is administered), and again at 140 minutes into Session 1 of treatment for eating disorders.]: Intention to seek cannabis use treatment will be measured using a 100 point visual analogue scale. Higher scores indicate greater intention to seek cannabis use treatment.

Secondary outcomes

• Motivations for cannabis use [Measured at baseline (i.e. Week 1 of CBT for eating disorders) and through treatment completion (i.e. Week 20 of CBT for eating disorders).]: Motivations for cannabis use will be measured using the Marijuana Motives Questionnaire (5 subscales measuring motivations regarding enhancement, coping, conformity, expansion, and social). Responses range from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating greater endorsement of that motivation. Subscale scores are calculated by taking the average score of subscale items. Motivations for cannabis use will also be measured using the Comprehensive Cannabis Motivates Questionnaire (8 subscales measuring motivations regarding food, medicinal, sleep, social, to get high, coping, conformity, creativity). Responses range from 1-5, with higher scores indicating greater endorsement of that motivation. Subscale scores are calculated by taking the average score of subscale items.
• Cannabis use frequency [Weekly use will be monitored for 20 weeks using a Likert-type question. The Daily Sessions, Frequency, Age of Onset, and Quantity of Cannabis Use Inventory will be measured twice during Week 1 and Week 20 of CBT for eating disorders]: Will be measured weekly for 20 weeks using a Likert-type question and at Week 1 and Week 20 of CBT for eating disorders using the Daily Sessions, Frequency, Age of Onset, and Quantity of Cannabis Use Inventory.
• Eating disorder symptoms [Administered at Week 1 (baseline) and Week 20 of CBT for eating disorders.]: Measured using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, which assesses for symptoms such as restrictive eating, binge eating, purging, exercise, and body image. This measure has 4 subscale scores (restraint, concern about eating, weight concerns, and shape concerns) and one global score. Items are answered on a scale of 0 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater eating disorder symptoms. Subscale scores are calculated by taking the average of subscale item scores. The global score is calculated by averaging the sum of the 4 subscale scores.
• Impairment caused by eating disorder [Administered at Week 1 and Week 20 of CBT for eating disorders.]: Measured using the Clinical Impairment Assessment. Assesses for impairment caused by eating disorder symptoms, such as negative emotions, concentration difficulties, social impairment. Items are responded to on a scale of 0 to 3, with higher scores indicating greater impairment on that item. A total score is calculated by summing all item scores.
• Problematic cannabis use [Administered at Week 1 and Week 20 of CBT for eating disorders.]: Measured using Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test-Revised. Assesses for indicators of problematic cannabis use, such as inability to reduce use, using in risky circumstances, increased impairment, and frequency of use. Items are answered on a scale of 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating more problematic use. A total score is calculated by summing item scores.

Sex: All, ages: 16 Years to any

Inclusion Criteria:

* A patient of St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton Eating Disorder Program (i.e. is currently seeking eating disorders treatment)
* Participant has been diagnosed with an eating disorder
* Aged 16+
* Understands written and spoken English

Exclusion Criteria:

* Has not been diagnosed with an eating disorder
* Under the age of 17
* Does not understand written and spoken English

• Sarah McComb, Ph.D., C. Psych, Principal investigator, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton