The effectiveness of family-based treatment for full and partial adolescent anorexia nervosa in an independent private practice setting: Clinical outcomes.
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe psychiatric illness with little evidence supporting treatment in adults. Among adolescents with AN, family-based treatment (FBT) is considered first-line outpatient approach, with a growing evidence base. However, research on FBT has stemmed from specialist services in research/public health settings. This study investigated the effectiveness of FBT in a case series of adolescent AN treated in a private practice setting.



Thirty-four adolescents with full or partial AN, diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria, participated, and were assessed at pretreatment and post-treatment. Assessments included change in % expected body weight, mood, and eating pathology.



Significant weight gain was observed from pretreatment to post-treatment. 45.9% of the sample demonstrated full weight restoration and a further 43.2% achieved partial weight-based remission. Missing data precluded an examination of change in mood and ED psychopathology.



Effective dissemination across different service types is important to the wider availability of evidence-based treatments. These weight restoration data lend preliminary support to the implementation of FBT in real world treatment settings. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:1023-1026).
The Redleaf Practice, 5 Redleaf Ave, Wahroonga, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Mandy
M
Goldstein
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
Stuart B
SB
Murray
Department of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Scott
S
Griffiths
The Redleaf Practice, 5 Redleaf Ave, Wahroonga, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Kathryn
K
Rayner
The Redleaf Practice, 5 Redleaf Ave, Wahroonga, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Jessica
J
Podkowka
Department of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Joel E
JE
Bateman
Department of Adolescent Medicine, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Andrew
A
Wallis
The Redleaf Practice, 5 Redleaf Ave, Wahroonga, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Christopher E
CE
Thornton
D000293:Adolescent; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001835:Body Weight; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010045:Outpatients; D011331:Private Practice; D012074:Remission Induction; D012107:Research Design; D015430:Weight Gain
adolescence; anorexia nervosa; eating disorders; effective treatment; family-based treatment