Joanna E Steinglass1, Deborah R Glasofer1, Emily Walsh1, Gabby Guzman2, Carol B Peterson3, B Timothy Walsh1, Evelyn Attia1, Stephen A Wonderlich4. 1. Department of Psychiatry,Center for Eating Disorders, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center. 2. Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology. 3. Department of Psychiatry,University of Minnesota. 4. Neuropsychiatric Research Institute/Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Habits are behavioral routines that are automatic and frequent, relatively independent of any desired outcome, and have potent antecedent cues. Among individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), behaviors that promote the starved state appear habitual, and this is the foundation of a recent neurobiological model of AN. In this proof-of-concept study, we tested the habit model of AN by examining the impact of an intervention focused on antecedent cues for eating disorder routines. METHODS: The primary intervention target was habit strength; we also measured clinical impact via eating disorder psychopathology and actual eating. Twenty-two hospitalized patients with AN were randomly assigned to 12 sessions of either Supportive Psychotherapy or a behavioral intervention aimed at cues for maladaptive behavioral routines, Regulating Emotions and Changing Habits (REaCH). RESULTS: Covarying for baseline, REaCH was associated with a significantly lower Self-Report Habit Index (SRHI) score and significantly lower Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) global score at the end-of-treatment. The end-of-treatment effect size for SRHI was d = 1.28, for EDE-Q was d = 0.81, and for caloric intake was d = 1.16. CONCLUSIONS: REaCH changed habit strength of maladaptive routines more than an active control therapy, and targeting habit strength yielded improvement in clinically meaningful measures. These findings support a habit-based model of AN, and suggest habit strength as a mechanism-based target for intervention.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Habits are behavioral routines that are automatic and frequent, relatively independent of any desired outcome, and have potent antecedent cues. Among individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), behaviors that promote the starved state appear habitual, and this is the foundation of a recent neurobiological model of AN. In this proof-of-concept study, we tested the habit model of AN by examining the impact of an intervention focused on antecedent cues for eating disorder routines. METHODS: The primary intervention target was habit strength; we also measured clinical impact via eating disorder psychopathology and actual eating. Twenty-two hospitalized patients with AN were randomly assigned to 12 sessions of either Supportive Psychotherapy or a behavioral intervention aimed at cues for maladaptive behavioral routines, Regulating Emotions and Changing Habits (REaCH). RESULTS: Covarying for baseline, REaCH was associated with a significantly lower Self-Report Habit Index (SRHI) score and significantly lower Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) global score at the end-of-treatment. The end-of-treatment effect size for SRHI was d = 1.28, for EDE-Q was d = 0.81, and for caloric intake was d = 1.16. CONCLUSIONS: REaCH changed habit strength of maladaptive routines more than an active control therapy, and targeting habit strength yielded improvement in clinically meaningful measures. These findings support a habit-based model of AN, and suggest habit strength as a mechanism-based target for intervention.
Authors: Kathryn A Coniglio; Kara A Christensen; Ann F Haynos; Renee D Rienecke; Edward A Selby Journal: Int J Eat Disord Date: 2019-07-30 Impact factor: 4.861
Authors: Mathieu Favier; Helena Janickova; Damian Justo; Ornela Kljakic; Léonie Runtz; Joman Y Natsheh; Tharick A Pascoal; Jurgen Germann; Daniel Gallino; Jun-Ii Kang; Xiang Qi Meng; Christina Antinora; Sanda Raulic; Jacob Pr Jacobsen; Luc Moquin; Erika Vigneault; Alain Gratton; Marc G Caron; Philibert Duriez; Mark P Brandon; Pedro Rosa Neto; M Mallar Chakravarty; Mohammad M Herzallah; Philip Gorwood; Marco Am Prado; Vania F Prado; Salah El Mestikawy Journal: J Clin Invest Date: 2020-12-01 Impact factor: 14.808