Dalle Grave, R., Sartirana, M., Dalle Grave, A., & Calugi, S. (2023)
Abstract
Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of enhanced cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT‐E) on patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) aged 14 to 25 treated in a real‐world setting.
Method: One hundred and fifteen patients with AN (n = 61, age <18 years) were recruited from consecutive referrals to a clinical eating disorder service offering outpatient CBT‐E. Body Mass Index (BMI), BMI centiles, Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, Brief Symptom Inventory, and Clinical Impairment Assessment scores were recorded at admission, at the end of treatment, and at 20‐week follow‐up.
Results: The seventy‐two patients (62.6%) who finished the programme showed considerable weight gain and reduced scores for clinical impairment and eating‐disorder and general psychopathology. Changes remained stable at 20 weeks. A comparison between adolescent and adult patients indicates similar improvements in eating‐disorder psychopathology.
Conclusions: The benchmark data yielded by this study suggest that CBT‐E is a well‐accepted and promising treatment that could be adopted to ensure continuity of care across the transitional age.
KEYWORDS
adolescents, adults, anorexia nervosa, CBT‐E, real‐world setting, treatment outcome
Highlights
- The study assessed the effects of enhanced cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT‐E) for anorexia nervosa on 115 patients aged 14 to 25 (n = 61, age <18 years).
- Two‐thirds completed the full treatment programme and achieved both a substantial increase in weight and reduced psychopathology and clinical impairment.
- Results were maintained at 20‐week follow‐up, and adolescent and adult patients displayed similar outcomes.
Dalle Grave, R., Sartirana, M., Dalle Grave, A., & Calugi, S. (2023). Effectiveness of enhanced cognitive behaviour therapy for patients aged 14 to 25: A promising treatment for anorexia nervosa in transition‐age youth. European Eating Disorders Review. doi:10.1002/erv.3019 Full Text