Adaptive Family Treatment for Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa

Stanford University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Anorexia Nervosa

Treatments: Behavioral: Family-Based Therapy (FBT); Behavioral: Family-Based Therapy with Intensive Family-Focused treatment

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01579682

SPO 49694

SPO 49798 (Other Grant/Funding Number)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) has the highest mortality rate compared to any other psychiatric disorder. The most promising treatment for adolescents with AN is family-based treatment (FBT). However, only 50% of patients receiving FBT fully remit at 12-month follow-up. Consequently, providing an alternative therapy early in the treatment course for those not responding to FBT may enhance overall outcome. This study aims to develop a new treatment - Intensive Family-Focused Treatment (IFT) - to improve outcomes in those adolescents, aged 12-18 years, who do not show an early response to FBT.

Enrollment: 90 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 12 to 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Meets DSM-IV criteria for anorexia nervosa
• Lives with at least one English-speaking parent who is willing to participate
• Medically Stable
• Adequate transportation to clinic
• Proficient at speaking, reading, and writing English

Exclusion criteria

• Previous FBT for AN
• Medical condition that may affect eating or weight

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

90 participants in 2 patient groups

Psychotherapy

Experimental group

Description:

Family-Based Therapy (12 sessions)

Treatment:

Behavioral: Family-Based Therapy (FBT)

Family-Based Therapy with Intensive Family-Focused Treatment

Experimental group

Description:

The patient will receive 4 sessions of Family-Based therapy, and if the participant does not make adequate weight gain within this time period, will be assigned to Intensive Family-Focused Therapy (IFT).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Family-Based Therapy with Intensive Family-Focused treatment