Evaluation of Art-therapy on Alexithymia in Patients Suffering From Anorexia Nervosa and From Bulimia (ALEXART)

Toulouse University Hospital

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Anorexia Nervosa/Bulimia

Treatments: Behavioral: Art Therapy treatment

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03524443

RC31/18/0180

2018-A01285-50 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Alexithymia is often found in patients suffering from anorexia nervosa or from bulimia. Art-therapy is widely used in this indication without there is a study in the literature assessing it. ALEXART is an observational prospective multicenter cohort pilot study, assessing the effect at 3 months of art therapy on alexithymia, in patients presenting anorexia nervosa or bulimia.

Full description

Alexithymia, defined by difficulties to identify and describe feelings as well as a poverty of imaginary life, is found in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) or bulimia (BN) in numerous studies. Some publications show that it is a factor of resistance in several forms of psychotherapies and of poor prognosis for these patients who already present a high rate of chronification and mortality because of the complications of the undernutrition and the suicide risk. Art therapy is very wide-spread in the care of AN and of BN, but little studied. About alexithymia, if there is no psychotherapy having made the proof of its efficiency currently, some studies suggest the interest of art-therapy on alexithymic features, but none, to our knowledge, estimated the effect.

The investigator suggest to describe the evolution at 3 months of art therapy on alexithymia, using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale in 20 items (TAS-20), in patients with AN or BN. The investigators shall also describe the evolution at 3 months with the TAS-20 as well as the relationship between variations of alexithymia and BMI in patients presenting AN at 1 and 3 months globally and in each of the centers. The investigators will also evaluate the effect of depression and anxiety at 1 and 3 months of art therapy on alexithymia.The investigators shall realize an observational prospective multicenter cohort study design. Each patient will receive standard care: multidisciplinary and corresponding to the HAS recommendations and semimonthly or weeklies sessions of art therapy, using all types of art. Thus, each patient will be her own control before art therapy.

Enrollment: 30 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 16+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• to be a woman, aged 16 or more, having DSM-5 diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, inpatient in "Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Art Therapy" ward at CHU de Toulouse or at " clinique Castelviel " in Toulouse.

Exclusion criteria

• acute psychotic symptoms
• pregnant women
• breast-feeding women
• people under justice protection.

Trial design

30 participants in 1 patient group

Patient suffering from anorexia/bulimia

Description:

Each patient will receive standard care: multidisciplinary and corresponding to the HAS recommendations for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa associated with semimonthly or weeklies sessions of art therapy treatment, using all types of art, realized by trained professional, in Toulouse. Each patient will be her own control before art therapy Female patients with anorexia nervosa or bulimia according to DSM-5 criteria, patient will be above 16 years-old

Treatment:

Behavioral: Art Therapy treatment