Worth Warrior App

There is an urgent need to provide effective, early intervention for body image disturbance and eating disorders. In the UK, the number of under-19 year olds waiting for urgent treatment has more than tripled post-pandemic, whilst the number waiting for routine treatment has more than quadrupled (NHS Digital, 2023).

Worth Warrior is an evidence-based, free app created by stem4, the UK's leading digital mental health charity for young people, to manage negative body image, low self-worth, and related early-stage eating difficulties or disorders. It provides a range of helpful activities and information, based on the understanding that eating and body-related issues can be helped through learning to challenge and change thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and body image issues underlying low self-worth. The app can be used as stand-alone support or blended in treatment.

At a time of acute crisis in mental health provision, Worth Warrior increases access to personalised and adaptive treatment, which is scalable, overcomes barriers such as geographic location, stigma, or reduction in availability of specialist clinical input, and is cost-effective. Engaging digital features including gamification improve user adherence and engagement, especially beneficial in enhancing motivation to change the different faces of a serious and challenging mental ill-health condition.