Authors:  Lindenberg, K.; Bauer, S.; Mößner, M. & Kordy H.
Centre: University Hospital Heidelberg

 YoungEs[s]prit is an ED prevention and early intervention program for high-school students, analogous to the college-student program Es[s]prit. The intervention follows a stepped-care approach including psychoeducation, supportive monitoring and feedback elements, peer support via message board, counselling via internet chat (individual and group sessions) and face-to-face counselling. A randomized, controlled intervention study is performed to assess the efficacy of the prevention program YoungEs[s]prit. Participants are german high-school students (age 13-16). Key exclusion criteria are severe ED symotoms and ED treatment. Main objective is the reduction of incidence rate by 50% (i.e., reduction of incidence from 8% to 4%) within one year. Cases are defined to meet DSM criteria for at least EDNOS. Secondary objectives are reducing the severity of ED symptoms and increasing counseling service utilization. Primary endpoint is 12 months after start date, further assessments at 3, 6 and 9 months after T0. Time is recorded in weeks. Efficacy is assessed by using incidence rates and time to incidence, analysed by comparison of Kaplan-Meier estimates between two groups with logrank test. The actual sample size will be adjusted by using an adaptive group-sequential Bauer-Köhne Design with two interim analyses. Using a fixed-sample design, N=1576 would be needed to detect the expected effect (reduction of incidence rate from 8% to 4%, alpla=5%, power=90%).