A Program-Led Motivational App (MI-Coach: ED) for Eating Disorder Waitlists: Findings From a Feasibility and Acceptability Pilot Trial.

objectiveIndividuals with eating disorders (EDs) often face significant barriers to accessing care, including prolonged waitlists and systemic delays. Digital interventions, such as mobile apps, offer a scalable way to enhance pre-treatment engagement during this high-risk period. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of MI-Coach: ED, a program-led mobile app designed to support motivation among female-identifying individuals awaiting ED treatment.

methodTwenty-three female-identifying individuals on waitlists at ED clinics across British Columbia, Canada, participated in a 4-week single-arm pilot trial of MI-Coach: ED. The app delivered motivational interviewing-informed content through seven sequential modules containing reflective exercises, psychoeducational articles, and psychologist-led videos. Feasibility was assessed via service-provider uptake, participant enrollment, engagement, and retention metrics. Acceptability was measured using the user version of the Mobile App Rating Scale and adapted Technology Acceptance Model ratings. Exploratory analyses descriptively examined pre-to-post changes in motivation and related symptoms.

resultsFeasibility was constrained at the service-provider level, with 6% of contacted sites agreeing to distribute study materials. At the participant level, 67.6% initiated app use and 44% completed at least four modules, and 78% completed pre- and post-assessments, indicating partial engagement across the sample. Participants rated the app positively across domains of quality, ease of use, and perceived usefulness. Small-to-medium reductions in global ED severity and depressive symptoms, as well as increases in motivational confidence, were observed with confidence intervals that did not cross zero. Change scores were moderately correlated across select motivational and symptom measures. DISCUSSION: Findings suggest that MI-Coach: ED was acceptable among users who engaged, while feasibility was substantially influenced by system-level recruitment constraints and variable participant engagement. Observed engagement patterns were lower than those reported for general mental health apps but consistent with prior digital ED intervention literature, underscoring the importance of disorder-specific feasibility benchmarks. Results will inform ongoing refinements and implementation strategies for a future randomized trial.