Reinhild Schwarte1, Nina Timmesfeld2, Astrid Dempfle2,3, Melanie Krei1, Karin Egberts4, Charlotte Jaite5, Christian Fleischhaker6, Christoph Wewetzer7, Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann1, Jochen Seitz1, Katharina Bühren1. 1. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Clinics RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany. 2. Institute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany. 3. Institute of Medical Informatics and Statistics, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany. 4. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. 5. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Charité University Berlin, Berlin, Germany. 6. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinics Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. 7. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Köln-Holweide, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:High levels of expressed emotions (EE) and depressive symptoms (DS) are often found in caregivers of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). Both parameters are considered to influence AN symptoms of the patient. METHODS:One hundred seventy adolescent women with AN and their caregivers were assessed at admission, discharge, at 1-year and 2.5-year follow up to evaluate AN symptoms of the patient and EE and DS of caregivers. RESULTS: The EE and DS were elevated at admission and decreased during treatment, criticism (as part of EE) exhibited again at the 2.5-year follow up. Caregivers of more severely ill patients reported significantly greater levels of EE and DS. Mothers were more affected than fathers. EE and DS were interrelated. CONCLUSION: Caregivers of adolescent AN patients suffer from elevated levels of EE and DS. Further studies are needed to examine whether therapeutic interventions to reduce caregivers' EE and DS might have a positive influence on treatment outcome.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: High levels of expressed emotions (EE) and depressive symptoms (DS) are often found in caregivers of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). Both parameters are considered to influence AN symptoms of the patient. METHODS: One hundred seventy adolescent women with AN and their caregivers were assessed at admission, discharge, at 1-year and 2.5-year follow up to evaluate AN symptoms of the patient and EE and DS of caregivers. RESULTS: The EE and DS were elevated at admission and decreased during treatment, criticism (as part of EE) exhibited again at the 2.5-year follow up. Caregivers of more severely ill patients reported significantly greater levels of EE and DS. Mothers were more affected than fathers. EE and DS were interrelated. CONCLUSION: Caregivers of adolescent AN patients suffer from elevated levels of EE and DS. Further studies are needed to examine whether therapeutic interventions to reduce caregivers' EE and DS might have a positive influence on treatment outcome.