Search

Objective: Alexithymia is proposed as a prominent clinical feature of eating disorders (EDs). However, despite theoretical reason to believe that alexithymia could interfere with the success of treatments, few studies have tested whether alexithymia changes over the course of treatment. The goals of the current study were to evaluate (a) changes in alexithymia over the course of intensive Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) for EDs, and (b) associations between alexithymia and ED symptoms over time. Method: A mixed‐diagnostic group of patients with EDs (N = 894) completed the Eating Disorders Examination—Questionnaire (EDE‐Q) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS‐20) throughout intensive treatment and at various lengths of follow‐up (6, 12, 24 months). Results: Results suggested that even after controlling for relevant covariates, there were significant decreases in alexithymia from intake to discharge and discharge to follow‐up. Models exploring changes in self‐reported ED symptoms indicated that TAS‐20 scores significantly related to ED symptoms across timepoints, such that greater alexithymia was associated with greater severity of symptoms. Conclusions: Altogether, findings support an association between alexithymia and ED symptoms over treatment and suggest that emotion‐focussed therapies like DBT may result in decreases in alexithymia. Future research should explore whether this effect is consistent across therapies without an emotional focus. Key points: Alexithymia is elevated in eating disorders (EDs).Few studies to date have explored changes in alexithymia over the course of intensive ED treatment.In a mixed diagnostic sample of individuals with EDs (N = 894), alexithymia decreased over treatment.Around 25.9% of the sample demonstrated reliable change in symptoms.Across timepoints, elevated alexithymia related to greater cognitive ED symptoms, but not behavioural symptoms.Further work is necessary to characterise the role of alexithymia in ED treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family therapy approaches have generated impressive empirical evidence in the treatment of adolescent eating disorders (EDs). However, the paucity of specialist treatment providers limits treatment uptake; therefore, our group developed the intensive family therapy (IFT)-a 5-day treatment based on the principles of family-based therapy for EDs. We retrospectively examined the long-term efficacy of IFT in both single-family (S-IFT) and multi-family (M-IFT) settings evaluating 74 eating disordered adolescents who underwent IFT at the University of California, San Diego, between 2006 and 2013. Full remission was defined as normal weight (≥95% of expected for sex, age, and height), Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) global score within 1 SD of norms, and absence of binge-purging behaviours. Partial remission was defined as weight ≥85% of expected or ≥95% but with elevated EDE-Q global score and presence of binge-purging symptoms (<1/week). Over a mean follow-up period of 30 months, 87.8% of participants achieved either full (60.8%) or partial remission (27%), while 12.2% reported a poor outcome, with both S-IFT and M-IFT showing comparable outcomes. Short-term, intensive treatments may be cost-effective and clinically useful where access to regular specialist treatment is limited. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective In order to improve the dissemination of new expert-based treatments for adolescents with anorexia nervosa, we have developed an innovative 1-week intensive family-based evaluation and treatment programme. Ages of the adolescents in the programme ranged from 10 to 18 years (mean = 15.0, SD = 2.1). We report the outcomes of the first 19 cases. Method Data were obtained from a retrospective chart review and a follow-up of cases at 52 to 738 days (mean = 278.4, SD = 193.8) post-treatment. The primary outcome measure was ideal body weight (IBW) percentage. Results At admission, the duration of illness ranged from less than 1 to 8 years (mean 2.1, SD = 1.7). Admission IBW ranged from 69.3 to 99.1% (mean = 84.3%, SD = 8.7). Follow-up IBW ranged from 84.4 to 134.6% (mean = 99.3%, SD = 11.8). All but one patient reported a sustained gain in weight post-treatment (mean = 15.0, SD = 14.5). Discussion These data provide further support for the notion that short-term family-based therapy may be useful for weight restoration and maintenance in some adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]