Research supports that gay males may be at increased risk for eating disorders compared to heterosexual males, establishing a need to develop and empirically evaluate programs to reduce risk for this population. The present study investigated the feasibility, acceptability, efficacy, and specificity of a cognitive dissonance-based (DB) intervention (The PRIDE Body Project©) in reducing eating disorder risk factors among gay males in a university-based setting. Eighty-seven gay males were randomized to either a 2-session DB intervention (n=47) or a waitlist control condition (n=40). Participants completed validated measures assessing eating disorder risk factors pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 1-month follow-up, along with post-treatment acceptability measures. Hierarchical Linear Modeling was used to assess differences between conditions across time. Regarding feasibility and acceptability, a total of 36 gay men participated in Session 1 of the program and 86% were retained at Session 2. Acceptability ratings for the program were highly favorable for all items. Regarding efficacy, the DB condition was associated with significantly greater decreases in body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness and muscularity, body-ideal internalization, dietary restraint, bulimic symptoms, negative affect, and self- and partner-objectification compared to waitlist control from pre- to post-intervention. Improvements in the DB group were maintained for all variables at 1-month follow-up, with the exception of body-ideal internalization. Demonstrating the specificity of the intervention to problems targeted within the DB program, conditions did not differ over time on changes in social pressures to conform to the body-ideal or alcohol use problems. Supporting the posited mechanism of treatment effects, body-ideal internalization mediated treatment effects on bulimic symptoms. Additionally, men who had higher baseline eating pathology or lower gay community involvement reported greater and more long-lasting treatment effects, respectively. Results support the feasibility, acceptability, efficacy, and specificity of The PRIDE Body Project©, up to one-month post-intervention and provide support for models of eating pathology in gay men.
