Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents With Bulimia

New York State Psychiatric Institute

Status: Completed

Conditions: Bulimia Nervosa

Treatments: Behavioral: Supportive Psychotherapy; Behavioral: cognitive behavior therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00755391

4819

Details and patient eligibility

About

This pilot study will evaluate the effectiveness of individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and supportive psychotherapy (SP) in reducing bulimic symptoms among adolescents.

Full description

Patients will be randomized to have an equal chance of either receiving CBT or SP. Participants will include both individuals with DSM-IV bulimia nervosa (BN), and patients with sub-threshold BN. Adolescent patients will be treated at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, with a target recruitment of 20 patients completing the study. Participants in both conditions will be assessed prior to treatment and at the end of treatment. This trial is intended to serve as a pilot investigation to determine the feasibility and utility of a larger controlled study in this population.

Enrollment: 8 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 12 to 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Age between 12 and 18
2. DSM-IV diagnosis of bulimia nervosa or sub-threshold bulimia nervosa (binge eating and/or purging at least once per week)

Exclusion criteria

1. Diagnosis of bipolar disorder
2. Current psychosis
3. Drug or alcohol abuse in the past 3 months
4. Acute Suicidal Risk
5. Major depression producing significant functional impairment
6. Significant medical illness
7. Weight outside of normal weight range (between 85% and 120% of the 50th percentile for age as measured by standard growth charts)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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8 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

supportive psychotherapy

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

supportive psychotherapy: 14 sessions

Treatment:

Behavioral: Supportive Psychotherapy

cognitive behavior therapy

Active Comparator group

Description:

cognitive behavior therapy: 14 sessions

Treatment:

Behavioral: cognitive behavior therapy