Clinical Trial: Comparison of Two Types of Family Therapy in the Treatment of Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Family Therapy in the Treatment of Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa

Brief Summary: This study will compare the effectiveness of two different family treatments for the treatment of adolescent anorexia nervosa.

Detailed Summary:

The long-term objective of this study is to enhance the treatment and outcome of anorexia nervosa (AN). Research on the treatment of AN has lagged that of other conditions, even other eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa. The focus of this study is on adolescent AN. Successful early treatment is likely to reduce the prevalence of chronic AN with its high rates of morbidity and mortality and high health care costs. The most promising treatment for adolescent AN is a specific form of family therapy called behavioral family therapy (BFT). This treatment is focused on the disordered eating behavior that characterizes AN and enables parents to refeed their child. Although there have been several small scale studies of BFT there has been no controlled comparison with another form of family therapy. Therefore we propose to use systems family therapy (SFT) which has been developed to represent the type of family therapy practiced in the community.

One hundred and sixty adolescents of both genders aged 12-18 years meeting DSM-IV criteria for anorexia nervosa will be entered to the study. Recruitment is projected to extend for 2 years. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of the two types of family therapy. Family therapy will be given for 36-weeks. For the purpose of the present study, patients will be followed for 12-months after the end of family treatment. Hence, each family will participate for approximately 2-years, with a total participation time of some 40-hours. In a sub-study blood will be drawn from those volunteering for genetic analysis focusing on the subset of non-responders to treatments.


Sponsor: Stanford University

Current Primary Outcome: Percent Ideal Body Weight (%IBW) [ Time Frame: 9-months and 21-months ]

Patients weighed in gowns on calibrated balance beam machines and height assessed with a stadiometer. Percent Ideal Body Weight calculated on a study designed calculator.


Original Primary Outcome: Body Mass Index

Current Secondary Outcome: Eating Disorder Psychopathology [ Time Frame: 9 months and 21 months ]

Eating Disorders Examination obtained in a standardized interview assessing: Binge eating, purging, weight and shape concerns. Assessed as the global measure.


Original Secondary Outcome: Eating Disorder Psychopathology

Information By: Stanford University

Dates:
Date Received: January 25, 2008
Date Started: July 2006
Date Completion:
Last Updated: February 7, 2013
Last Verified: February 2013