What do adolescents think about an app designed to reduce cognitive risk factors for eating disorders? A mixed methods study

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in eHealth interventions as a means of reducing risk factors related to eating disorders (EDs). However, these interventions are often faced with high dropout rates and low adherence. The objective of this study was to analyze the usability and acceptability of GGED-AD, a mobile app designed to reduce cognitive risk factors associated with EDs in adolescents. The study involved 42 adolescents (61.9% female) with a mean age of 13.98 years, and employed a convergent mixed-methods approach. The results indicate that GGED-AD has satisfactory usability and acceptability¿it was considered easy to use, attractive, encouraging of positive behaviors, and was perceived as useful by the participants. However, certain difficulties were observed, such as in understanding some specific content. Consequently, this study offers valuable insights for improving the design of GGED-AD and of similar eHealth interventions, with the objective of enhancing their potential for adoption in 'real world' settings.