title: Fear of food as a treatment target: exposure and response prevention for anorexia nervosa in an open series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe mental illness with high rates of relapse and rehospitalization. New treatment approaches are needed. We aimed to evaluate the potential utility of addressing eating-related fear in the treatment of AN using psychotherapy techniques known to be effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder, namely exposure therapy and response prevention.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed a brief treatment intervention for AN (AN-EXRP) and evaluated its effects in an open series of nine individuals with AN towards the end of acute weight restoration. We focused on eating behavior as the primary outcome, as it is related both to anxiety and to longer term course.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Change in anxiety with AN-EXRP was associated with greater caloric intake.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support the anxiety-centered model of AN and suggest the potential utility of further developing this treatment approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Division of Clinical Therapeutics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA. Js1124@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steinglass
authors.forename: Anne Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Albano
authors.forename: H Blair
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schebendach
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Attia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007171:Implosive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D057566:Self Report; D016896:Treatment Outcome