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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2012;7(1):e28249.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028249. Epub 2012 Jan 4.

A randomized controlled trial of adjunctive family therapy and treatment as usual following inpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa adolescents

Nathalie Godart  1 , Sylvie Berthoz, Florence Curt, Fabienne Perdereau, Zoé Rein, Jenny Wallier, Anne-Sophie Horreard, Irène Kaganski, Réjane Lucet, Frédéric Atger, Maurice Corcos, Jacques Fermanian, Bruno Falissard, Martine Flament, Ivan Eisler, Philippe Jeammet
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

A randomized controlled trial of adjunctive family therapy and treatment as usual following inpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa adolescents

Nathalie Godart et al. PLoS One. 2012.

Abstract

Research on treatments in anorexia nervosa (AN) is scarce. Although most of the therapeutic programs used in 'real world practice' in AN treatment resort to multidisciplinary approaches, they have rarely been evaluated.

Objective: To compare two multidimensional post-hospitalization outpatients treatment programs for adolescents with severe AN: Treatment as Usual (TAU) versus this treatment plus family therapy (TAU+FT).

Method: Sixty female AN adolescents, aged 13 to 19 years, were included in a randomized parallel controlled trial conducted from 1999 to 2002 for the recruitment, and until 2004 for the 18 months follow-up. Allocation to one of the two treatment groups (30 in each arm) was randomised. The TAU program included sessions for the patient alone as well as sessions with a psychiatrist for the patient and her parents. The TAU+FT program was identical to the usual one but also included family therapy sessions targeting intra-familial dynamics, but not eating disorder symptoms. The main Outcome Measure was the Morgan and Russell outcome category (Good or Intermediate versus Poor outcome). Secondary outcome indicators included AN symptoms or their consequences (eating symptoms, body mass index, amenorrhea, number of hospitalizations in the course of follow-up, social adjustment). The evaluators, but not participants, were blind to randomization.

Results: At 18 months follow-up, we found a significant group effect for the Morgan and Russell outcome category in favor of the program with family therapy (Intention-to-treat: TAU+FT :12/30 (40%); TAU : 5/29 (17.2%) p = 0.05; Per Protocol analysis: respectively 12/26 (46.2%); 4/27 (14.8%), p = 0.01). Similar group effects were observed in terms of achievement of a healthy weight (i.e., BMI≥10(th) percentile) and menstrual status.

Conclusions: Adding family therapy sessions, focusing on intra-familial dynamics rather than eating symptomatology, to a multidimensional program improves treatment effectiveness in girls with severe AN.

Trial registration: Controlled-trials.com ISRCTN71142875.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Flow chart of the randomized control trial.
TAU: treatment as usual; TAU+FT: treatment as usual and family therapy.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Percentages of participants with a BMI≥10th percentile.
TAU: treatment as usual; TAU+FT: treatment as usual and family therapy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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