OBJECTIVE: Research suggests that family treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa may be effective. This study was designed to determine the optimal length of such family therapy. METHOD:Eighty-six adolescents (12-18 years of age) diagnosed with anorexia nervosa were allocated at random to either a short-term (10 sessions over 6 months) or long-term treatment (20 sessions over 12 months) and evaluated at the end of 1 year using the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) between 1999 and 2002. RESULTS: Although adequately powered to detect differences between treatment groups, an intent-to-treat analysis found no significant differences between the short-term and long-term treatment groups. Although a nonsignificant finding does not prove the null hypothesis, in no instance does the confidence interval on the effect size on the difference between the groups approach a moderate .5 level. However, post hoc analyses suggest that subjects with severe eating-related obsessive-compulsive features or who come from nonintact families respond better to long-term treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A short-term course of family therapy appears to be as effective as a long-term course for adolescents with short-duration anorexia nervosa. However, there is a suggestion that those with more severe eating-related obsessive-compulsive thinking and nonintact families benefit from longer treatment.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: Research suggests that family treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa may be effective. This study was designed to determine the optimal length of such family therapy. METHOD: Eighty-six adolescents (12-18 years of age) diagnosed with anorexia nervosa were allocated at random to either a short-term (10 sessions over 6 months) or long-term treatment (20 sessions over 12 months) and evaluated at the end of 1 year using the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) between 1999 and 2002. RESULTS: Although adequately powered to detect differences between treatment groups, an intent-to-treat analysis found no significant differences between the short-term and long-term treatment groups. Although a nonsignificant finding does not prove the null hypothesis, in no instance does the confidence interval on the effect size on the difference between the groups approach a moderate .5 level. However, post hoc analyses suggest that subjects with severe eating-related obsessive-compulsive features or who come from nonintact families respond better to long-term treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A short-term course of family therapy appears to be as effective as a long-term course for adolescents with short-duration anorexia nervosa. However, there is a suggestion that those with more severe eating-related obsessive-compulsive thinking and nonintact families benefit from longer treatment.
Authors: Lisa Brownstone; Kristen Anderson; Judy Beenhakker; James Lock; Daniel Le Grange Journal: Int J Eat Disord Date: 2012-03-12 Impact factor: 4.861
Authors: James Lock; Daniel Le Grange; W Stewart Agras; Kathleen Kara Fitzpatrick; Booil Jo; Erin Accurso; Sarah Forsberg; Kristen Anderson; Kate Arnow; Maya Stainer Journal: Behav Res Ther Date: 2015-08-01
Authors: Dara L Bellace; Rebecca Tesser; Samantha Berthod; Kimberly Wisotzke; Ross D Crosby; Scott J Crow; Scott G Engel; Daniel Le Grange; James E Mitchell; Carol B Peterson; Heather K Simonich; Stephen A Wonderlich; Katherine A Halmi Journal: Int J Eat Disord Date: 2012-04-25 Impact factor: 4.861
Authors: James Lock; Harry Brandt; Blake Woodside; Stewart Agras; W Katherine Halmi; Craig Johnson; Walter Kaye; Denise Wilfley Journal: Int J Eat Disord Date: 2011-04-14 Impact factor: 4.861