POWERED to Recover: Preliminary Evaluation of a Semi-structured Interview to Support Individualized Expected Body Weight Determination in Eating Disorder Treatment
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Objective: Determination of expected body weights (EBWs) is common in eating disorder (ED) treatment, yet no reproducible, individualized method currently exists to guide this process. The Personalized Optimization of Weight Recovery in Eating Disorders (POWERED) interview was developed to address this gap by providing a standardized method for capturing medical, psychiatric, and ED behavior history for use alongside automated growth chart-based tools that support individualized EBW determination. This study evaluated the preliminary feasibility and acceptability of the POWERED interview.Method: Seventeen youth and young adults ages 14-20 years with restrictive-spectrum EDs completed the POWERED interview and provided quantitative and qualitative feedback on its feasibility and acceptability, as well as their preferences regarding EBW disclosure. Results: Participants reported high confidence in their ability to provide accurate responses across interview domains, supporting feasibility. However, participants agreed that the interview was somewhat tiring and difficult. Most participants preferred being informed of their own EBWs (76.5%) and having their treatment providers informed (82.4%), yet only 47.1% wanted parents or guardians informed. Higher EBWs elicited greater distress and fear regardless of how the EBW was determined.Discussion: Findings support the preliminary feasibility and acceptability of the POWERED interview while identifying clear targets for refinement. Results highlight the importance of collaborative decisions about parental involvement in EBW discussions. The association between higher EBWs and elevated distress underscores the entrenchment of fear of weight gain and suggests EBW discussions may function as therapeutic exposures in ED treatment.
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7164590921