Cognitive-behavioral treatment of adult rumination behavior in the setting of disordered eating: A single case experimental design.
The integration of feeding and eating disorders into a single DSM-5 chapter introduces an opportunity to explore common mechanisms and transdiagnostic treatment approaches. In contrast to a robust literature on the evidence-based treatment of eating disorders, very few data guide the treatment of rumination disorder (RD). In a single case experimental design, we describe the treatment of a 27-year-old woman who presented to an eating-disorder clinic with a 15-year history of untreated rumination and intermittent binge eating. According to time series analysis, she reduced rumination frequency at trend-level during the initial baseline phase (self-monitoring only), and exhibited significant reductions during the active intervention phase (self-monitoring + cognitive-behavioral techniques including diaphragmatic breathing and behavioral experimentation). She maintained these gains at 23 weeks post-intervention. Although more rigorous systematic investigation is needed, these data suggest that selected cognitive and behavioral techniques already familiar to eating-disorder clinicians may have heuristic value for RD treatment. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:967-972).
Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. jjthomas@mgh.harvard.edu.|Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. jjthomas@mgh.harvard.edu.
Jennifer J
JJ
Thomas
Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.|Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Helen B
HB
Murray
D000328:Adult; D002032:Bulimia / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D019959:Feeding and Eating Disorders of Childhood / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012107:Research Design; D012648:Self Care
DSM-5; binge eating; diaphragmatic breathing; rumination disorder; single case experimental design