title: The effectiveness of enhanced cognitive behavioural therapy for eating disorders: an open trial.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Enhanced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT-E) for eating disorders in an open trial for adults with the full range of eating disorders found in the community. The only previously published trial of CBT-E for eating disorders was a randomised controlled trial (RCT) conducted in the U.K. for patients with a BMI ≥ 17.5. The current study represents the first published trial of CBT-E to include patients with a BMI<17.5. The study involved 125 patients referred to a public outpatient clinic in Perth, Western Australia. Patients attended, on average, 20-40 individual sessions with a clinical psychologist. Of those who entered the trial, 53% completed treatment. Longer waiting time for treatment was significantly associated with drop out. By the end of treatment full remission (cessation of all key eating disorder behaviours, BMI ≥ 18.5 kg/m(2), not meeting DSM-IV criteria for an eating disorder) or partial remission (meeting at least 2 these criteria) was achieved by two thirds of the patients who completed treatment and 40% of the total sample. The results compared favourably to those reported in the previous RCT of CBT-E, with one exception being the higher drop-out rate in the current study. Overall, the findings indicated that CBT-E results in significant improvements, in both eating and more general psychopathology, in patients with all eating disorders attending an outpatient clinic.
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia School of Psychology, 35 Stirling Highway Crawley, 6009 Perth, Western Australia, Australia. sbyrne@psy.uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: Anthea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fursland
authors.forename: Karina L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Hunna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000628:therapy*; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014904:Western Australia