Treatment of eating disorders improves eating symptoms but not alexithymia and dissociation proneness

Comprehensive Psychiatry
Iulian IancuMoshe Kotler

Abstract

Eating disorders have been reported to increase in frequency, but it is yet unclear what psychological characteristics increase the proneness toward the development of eating disorders. Alexithymia (AL; a difficulty in awareness to one's emotions) and dissociation proneness are 2 such plausible features. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of a combined intervention (group therapy, individual therapy, and pharmacologic therapy) in a group of soldiers with eating disorders (n = 30) in the Israel Defense Forces. Moreover, we examined whether AL and dissociation proneness were frequent in this group and whether clinical improvement was associated with an improvement in these factors as well. High scores on the AL and dissociation measures were noted. The intervention was associated with a 50% decrease in the Eating Attitudes Test and Eating Disorders Inventory scores, consistent with our clinical impression of improvement in the eating symptoms. However, the decrease observed on the Dissociative Experiences Scale and Toronto Alexithymia Scale scores was minimal. The combined intervention was efficient in our sample of patients with eating disorder despite the small sample size. The aforementioned specific psychometric change ...Continue Reading

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Citations

Dec 7, 2007·European Eating Disorders Review : the Journal of the Eating Disorders Association·Rachel LawsonGlenn Waller
Aug 12, 2009·Eating Behaviors·Claire JänschMyra J Cooper
Oct 23, 2010·The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry·Liliana CastroKate Tchanturia
Apr 17, 2014·Harvard Review of Psychiatry·Kristjana CameronGeorge Hadjipavlou
Mar 3, 2020·Frontiers in Psychiatry·Carla GramagliaPatrizia Zeppegno
Nov 26, 2009·Eating and Weight Disorders : EWD·S Sarró
Sep 13, 2020·Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy·Paola LongoEnrica Marzola

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