Treatment of eating disorders improves eating symptoms but not alexithymia and dissociation proneness.
BACKGROUND
Eating disorders have been reported to increase in frequency, but it is yet unclear what psychological characteristics increase the proneness toward the development of eating disorders. Alexithymia (AL; a difficulty in awareness to one's emotions) and dissociation proneness are 2 such plausible features.


METHODS
In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of a combined intervention (group therapy, individual therapy, and pharmacologic therapy) in a group of soldiers with eating disorders (n = 30) in the Israel Defense Forces. Moreover, we examined whether AL and dissociation proneness were frequent in this group and whether clinical improvement was associated with an improvement in these factors as well.


RESULTS
High scores on the AL and dissociation measures were noted. The intervention was associated with a 50% decrease in the Eating Attitudes Test and Eating Disorders Inventory scores, consistent with our clinical impression of improvement in the eating symptoms. However, the decrease observed on the Dissociative Experiences Scale and Toronto Alexithymia Scale scores was minimal.


CONCLUSIONS
The combined intervention was efficient in our sample of patients with eating disorder despite the small sample size. The aforementioned specific psychometric change may be indicative of the lack of importance of changes in AL or dissociation proneness in the short-term improvement in patients with eating disorder.
Iancu
Iulian
I
Psychiatry B. Department, Beer Yaakov Hospital, Beer Yaakov, 70350 Israel, affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. iulian1@bezeqint.net
Cohen
Etti
E
Yehuda
Yoram Ben
YB
Kotler
Moshe
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000523:psychology*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003376:Counseling; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D017374:Paroxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors