ABSTRACT
Background: Psychoeducation treatment sessions have been used to treat patients with major depressive disorder and eating disorder symptoms. These treatment sessions have also been used in patients with eating disorder and associated personality traits. Aim: This study investigated the impact of a psychoeducational intervention on personality traits of patients with both eating disorder symptoms and major depressive disorder. Methods: Fifty outpatients with diagnoses of major depressive disorder and bulimia were recruited in this study. Twenty-five patients received the psychoeducation treatment of six sessions, each of 90 minutes/week, whereas the other 25 patients did not receive the program. The Beck depression inventory (BDI), Eating disorders inventory (EDI), psychiatric and medical history information, and sociodemographic characteristics were measured in the initial assessment and again at the time of discharge from the program. Results: The psychoeducation program reduced the severity of depression and eating disorders of bulimia and body dissatisfaction in treated patients more than in control patients (p<0.0001). The program blocked further drive for thinness in treated patients in comparison to the control patients who continued to have increased drive for thinness (p=0.001). The intervention program also reduced the severity levels of psychological traits related to eating disorder named ineffectiveness, interpersonal distrust, interoceptive distrust, perfectionism, and maturity fears in treated patients when compared to control patients (p<0.001). Conclusion: Utilization of educational intervention in depressive patients with eating disorders can not only mitigate the level of depression and eating disorder symptoms but also improve the psychological traits associated with eating disorders.