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Objective The objective of this study was to compare the relative effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy guided self‐help (DBT‐GSH) and DBT unguided self‐help (DBT‐USH) with an unguided self‐help control condition in the treatment of binge‐eating disorder (BED). Method Seventy‐one participants who met diagnostic criteria for BED based on Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) interview were randomly assigned to DBT‐GSH, DBT‐USH or active control USH for 12 weeks. Assessments took place at baseline, 12 weeks and 3‐month follow‐up. Outcome measures included the EDE to assess binge frequency, the EDE‐Questionnaire (EDE‐Q), the Brief Symptom Inventory, and the Short Form 6D. Results The overall completion rate was 65% at post‐treatment and 63% at 3‐month follow‐up. Intention to treat analyses showed that participants in all three conditions reported significant reductions in binge frequency with large effect sizes. A similar pattern emerged for secondary outcome variables including eating disorder psychopathology, general psychological distress, and health‐related quality of life. Discussion Self‐help may be an effective way to disseminate DBT for BED. However, future research should evaluate DBT self‐help using a larger sample size, possibly in a multisite design.

These findings suggest that depression, anxiety, and sleep are important constructs to consider in BED development and presentation.

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