This study evaluates the COR protocol (Body Compassion-Emotional Regulation-Conscious Reconnection with Food), a brief, manualized psychological intervention designed for adults who experience recurrent binge eating. The study is conducted as a pilot trial to examine implementation-related outcomes and to explore preliminary clinical changes over time.
The COR protocol was developed by integrating evidence-informed components from cognitive-behavioral therapy for eating disorders, dialectical behavior therapy skills, and approaches that promote a more conscious and flexible relationship with eating. The intervention is grounded in a non-weight-centered framework and places emphasis on emotional regulation, experiential work with urges and cravings, and the gradual development of a more compassionate relationship with the body and eating.
The intervention is delivered individually in an online format and consists of eight weekly sessions, preceded by a brief pre-session and followed by a one-month follow-up session. Sessions follow a structured but flexible progression, organized around a defined trajectory of change. Early sessions focus on establishing a therapeutic framework, understanding binge eating as a functional and emotionally driven behavior, and identifying personal vulnerability patterns. Middle sessions emphasize skills for relating differently to urges and emotional distress, including experiential and regulation-based strategies. Later sessions focus on body-related self-criticism, compassion-based practices, consolidation of skills, and planning for continuity of care and relapse prevention.
Each session includes a combination of psychoeducation, guided experiential exercises, reflective discussion, and brief between-session practices. Between-session tasks are designed to support observation and reflection rather than performance or compliance, and difficulties completing tasks are addressed as clinically meaningful information rather than treatment failure.
The protocol is manualized to support consistency across providers while allowing controlled clinical flexibility in pacing, examples, and depth of exploration, according to participant needs. Core components of each session and overarching therapeutic principles are defined as non-modifiable to preserve fidelity to the model.
As part of the study design, the COR protocol is implemented by psychologists with general clinical training who receive structured training in the model prior to implementation, as well as ongoing weekly clinical supervision during the intervention period. Therapist adherence to the protocol is supported through the use of structured adherence checklists, which are intended for monitoring and quality assurance rather than performance evaluation.
This pilot study focuses on outcomes related to feasibility and acceptability of the intervention when delivered online, including aspects of recruitment, retention, adherence, and participant satisfaction. In addition, the study explores preliminary changes over time in binge eating-related symptoms and associated emotional and psychological processes. Data from this pilot will be used to inform refinements to the protocol and the design of future larger-scale studies.
