Cecile Rausch Herscovici1. 1. Facultad de Psicología y Psicopedagogía, Universidad del Salvador, Buenos Aires, Argentina. cecilerh@fibertel.com.ar
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the effectiveness of the family meal intervention (FMI) on weight gain. METHOD:Upon admission 12 adolescents diagnosed with anorexia nervosa were randomly assigned to two groups of outpatient family - based therapy, treated during 6 months, and followed-up at 12 months. Measures were administered at each of these instances. Groups differed only with regard to the FMI. RESULTS: Both treatments produced considerable and comparable improvement in biological parameters, in depression, and in eating and general psychological symptoms. DISCUSSION: Although the FMI did not appear to have a significant effect on weight gain, results suggest it might have a differential benefit for the intractable self-starving patient with greater psychopathology. The finding that weight recovery was not associated to general psychological outcome in those patients with more psychiatric co - morbidity, suggests caution when prioritizing clinical goals.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the effectiveness of the family meal intervention (FMI) on weight gain. METHOD: Upon admission 12 adolescents diagnosed with anorexia nervosa were randomly assigned to two groups of outpatient family - based therapy, treated during 6 months, and followed-up at 12 months. Measures were administered at each of these instances. Groups differed only with regard to the FMI. RESULTS: Both treatments produced considerable and comparable improvement in biological parameters, in depression, and in eating and general psychological symptoms. DISCUSSION: Although the FMI did not appear to have a significant effect on weight gain, results suggest it might have a differential benefit for the intractable self-starving patient with greater psychopathology. The finding that weight recovery was not associated to general psychological outcome in those patients with more psychiatric co - morbidity, suggests caution when prioritizing clinical goals.