Short-course family therapy effective in anorexia

A short course of family behavioural therapy (FBT) for adolescents with anorexia nervosa is as effective as a longer course, the authors of a follow-up study conclude.The results of an earlier trial, conducted between 1999 and 2002 indicated no significant differences between short- and long-course FBT at 12 months.In the current study, researchers in the US and Canada set out to examine the comparative long-term follow-up outcomes among subjects involved in the original trial to determine whether differences would emerge between the groups and whether progress made during the initial trial would be maintained at follow-up.In the original study 86 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years with anorexia nervosa (average duration For the current study the researchers contacted 74 (86%) of the subjects and their families and invited them to participate in a follow-up assessment - 71 (83%) subjects agreed to participate.Information on subjects' height, weight, treatment history, admissions to hospital and general psychosocial functioning was collected by telephone or in-person interviews with subjects or parents. Subjects were also asked to complete the EDE. Mean length of follow-up was 3.96 years.No significant differences between treatment groups were found on any measure of long-term outcome, including BMI, global EDE score, need for admission to hospital or further treatment (medication or psychotherapy).The researchers state that effect size for the main outcome variable of BMI was small (0.08) and that 22 subjects would need to be treated to find one additional subject who would benefit from longer treatment (NNT=22).Most subjects were found to be doing well at follow-up, in terms of BMI (>90% at their ideal body weight) and EDE scale scores (74% within the adult normal range). In addition, only 9.5% of females were amenorrhoeic and less than 6% were at less than 85% of their ideal body weight.The researchers conclude that a short course of FBT is likely an effective intervention with a lasting impact on adolescents with short-duration anorexia nervosa."Although this finding needs to be replicated, the main clinical implication is that FBT may well be a cost-effective intervention that delimits the course of the illness, helping to reduce the likelihood of a more chronic and devastating course."Reference...