Feel better about your appearance

  • Perspectives is a new therapy app for body image concerns
  • The app was developed by Koa Health in collaboration with leading researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital

This research trial is now closed to enrollment. Thank you for your interest!
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Simple exercises to tackle concerns with your appearance

The Perspectives app delivers digital cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help address body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)iBDD is a mental disorder characterized by a severe preoccupation with a perceived defect in one’s appearance. Any body part can be the focus of concern. The most common areas of concern involve the face (e.g., nose, eyes, and chin), hair, and skin. BDD is a severe preoccupation with your appearance that can significantly impact your daily life. CBT iCognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for BDD is a skills-based treatment. It helps individuals to evaluate their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and develop strategies to think and act in healthier ways. These strategies are associated with significantly lower BDD symptoms, long-term reductions in anxiety, and increased quality of life.is an evidence-based form of therapy that can help address it.

A new way to try therapy

Perspectives is a new, app-based therapy, allowing you to unlock the power of CBT from your home.

Content created by leading clinical researchers

Perspectives is part of a clinical trial at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). It’s based on an evidence-based treatment, CBT. This research study was approved by the Institutional Review Board.

This research trial is now closed to enrollment. Thank you for your interest!

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Dr. Sabine Wilhelm

Chief of Psychology, MGH

Director, Center for OCD & Related Disorders (CORD), MGH

Professor in Psychology (Psychiatry), Harvard Medical School

Dr. Hilary Weingarden

Psychologist, Center for OCD & Related Disorders (CORD), MGH

Assistant Professor in Psychology (Psychiatry),
Harvard Medical School

Dr. Jennifer Greenberg

Psychologist, Center for OCD & Related Disorders (CORD), MGH

Assistant Professor in Psychology (Psychiatry),
Harvard Medical School

A coach in your pocket

You can message your coach at Massachusetts General Hospital with questions or for feedback.

What previous participants have said about Perspectives

I use [the skills I learned] in my head all the time now without the app.

I feel so much more in the moment, I walk and notice how pretty things are.

I am increasingly happy and would highly recommend the app. I’ve experienced real progress as it forces you out of your comfort zone, provides structure to be able to do so, and gives me tools to be able to handle the situation.

The [self-esteem module] was a powerful moment, the tables turned at that moment, permanently.

It adds structure to your life, gives you clear, simple goals to challenge yourself. It’s a friendly app that has a lot of impact.

I would not have thought that an app could get me out of the house!

It’s incredibly easy to use. It’s fast and easy to fit in to your busy schedule. It’s convenient.

Overall, I have seen a very, very good improvement. It has helped me very much.

Extremely compelling results from a 12-week Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT):

  • BDD symptom severity, measured with BDD-YBOCS at end of treatment, was significantly lower in Perspectives group as compared to the waitlist with a large effect of d=1.44 (p<0.001)
  • Significant improvements in BDD severity, BDD insights, depression, quality of life, and functioning as compared to a waitlist control group.
  • Two-thirds (68%) of individuals receiving Perspectives with only light coaching support were responsive to the therapy and over half exhibited full or partial symptom remission — compared to only 8% in the waitlist.
  • App uptake and satisfaction were high – as suggested by end-of treatment Client Satisfaction Questionnaire scores of 25.9±5.5

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S. Wilhelm, H. Weingarden, J.L. Greenberg, S.S. Hoeppner, I. Snorrason, E.E. Bernstein, T. H. McCoy, O. T. Harrison. Efficacy of App-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Body Dysmorphic Disorder with Coach Support: Initial Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 1-9.

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