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An Exploratory Evaluation of the Family Meal Intervention for Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa
Author(s) -
Herscovici Cecile Rausch,
Kovalskys Irina,
Orellana Liliana
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
family process
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.011
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1545-5300
pISSN - 0014-7370
DOI - 10.1111/famp.12199
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , psychopathology , intervention (counseling) , psychology , weight gain , meal , eating disorders , family therapy , weight loss , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , body weight , obesity , pathology
Although weight restoration is a crucial factor in the recovery of anorexia nervosa (AN), there is scarce evidence regarding which components of treatment promote it. In this paper, the author reports on an effort to utilize research methods in her own practice, with the goal of evaluating if the family meal intervention ( FMI ) had a positive effect on increasing weight gain or on improving other general outcome measures. Twenty‐three AN adolescents aged 12–20 years were randomly assigned to two forms of outpatient family therapy (with [ FTFM ] and without [ FT ]) using the FMI , and treated for a 6‐month duration. Their outcome was compared at the end of treatment ( EOT ) and at a 6‐month posttreatment follow‐up ( FU ). The main outcome measure was weight recovery; secondary outcome measures were the Morgan Russell Global Assessment Schedule ( MRHAS ), amenorrhea, general psychological symptoms, and eating disorder symptoms. The majority of the patients in both groups improved significantly at EOT , and these changes were sustained through FU . Given its primarily clinical nature, findings of this investigation project preclude any conclusion. Although the FMI did not appear to convey specific benefits in causing weight gain, clinical observation suggests the value of a flexible stance in implementation of the FMI for the severely undernourished patient with greater psychopathology.