Matteo Aloi1,2, Marianna Rania1,2, Elvira Anna Carbone1,2, Mariarita Caroleo1,2, Giuseppina Calabrò1,2, Paolo Zaffino3, Giuseppe Nicolò4, Antonino Carcione4, Gianluca Lo Coco5, Carlo Cosentino3, Cristina Segura-Garcia6,7. 1. Outpatient Unit for Clinical Research and Treatment of Eating Disorders, University Hospital "Mater Domini", Catanzaro, Italy. 2. Department of Health Sciences, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy. 3. Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, School of Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy. 4. Third Centre of Cognitive Psychotherapy - Italian School of Cognitive Psychotherapy (SICC), Rome, Italy. 5. Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. 6. Outpatient Unit for Clinical Research and Treatment of Eating Disorders, University Hospital "Mater Domini", Catanzaro, Italy. segura@unicz.it. 7. Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy. segura@unicz.it.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study aims to examine the underlying associations between eating, affective and metacognitive symptoms in patients with binge eating disorder (BED) through network analysis (NA) in order to identify key variables that may be considered the target for psychotherapeutic interventions. METHODS: A total of 155 patients with BED completed measures of eating psychopathology, affective symptoms, emotion regulation and metacognition. A cross-sectional network was inferred by means of Gaussian Markov random field estimation using graphical LASSO and the extended Bayesian information criterion (EBIC-LASSO), and central symptoms of BED were identified by means of the strength centrality index. RESULTS: Impaired self-monitoring metacognition and difficulties in impulse control emerged as the symptoms with the highest centrality. Conversely, eating and affective features were less central. The centrality stability coefficient of strength was above the recommended cut-off, thus indicating the stability of the network. CONCLUSIONS: According to the present NA findings, impaired self-monitoring metacognition and difficulties in impulse control are the central nodes in the psychopathological network of BED whereas eating symptoms appear marginal. If further studies with larger samples replicate these results, metacognition and impulse control could represent new targets of psychotherapeutic interventions in the treatment of BED. In light of this, metacognitive interpersonal therapy could be a promising aid in clinical practice to develop an effective treatment for BED.
BACKGROUND: This study aims to examine the underlying associations between eating, affective and metacognitive symptoms in patients with binge eating disorder (BED) through network analysis (NA) in order to identify key variables that may be considered the target for psychotherapeutic interventions. METHODS: A total of 155 patients with BED completed measures of eating psychopathology, affective symptoms, emotion regulation and metacognition. A cross-sectional network was inferred by means of Gaussian Markov random field estimation using graphical LASSO and the extended Bayesian information criterion (EBIC-LASSO), and central symptoms of BED were identified by means of the strength centrality index. RESULTS: Impaired self-monitoring metacognition and difficulties in impulse control emerged as the symptoms with the highest centrality. Conversely, eating and affective features were less central. The centrality stability coefficient of strength was above the recommended cut-off, thus indicating the stability of the network. CONCLUSIONS: According to the present NA findings, impaired self-monitoring metacognition and difficulties in impulse control are the central nodes in the psychopathological network of BED whereas eating symptoms appear marginal. If further studies with larger samples replicate these results, metacognition and impulse control could represent new targets of psychotherapeutic interventions in the treatment of BED. In light of this, metacognitive interpersonal therapy could be a promising aid in clinical practice to develop an effective treatment for BED.
Authors: Kimberly A Brownley; Nancy D Berkman; Christine M Peat; Kathleen N Lohr; Katherine E Cullen; Carla M Bann; Cynthia M Bulik Journal: Ann Intern Med Date: 2016-06-28 Impact factor: 25.391
Authors: Jenni Leppanen; Dalia Brown; Hannah McLinden; Steven Williams; Kate Tchanturia Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2022-02-23 Impact factor: 4.157