ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess differences in Quality of Life (QoL) across eating disorder (ED) diagnoses, and to examine the relationship of QoL to specific clinical features. RESULTS: 199 patients with a diagnosed ED completed the Clinical Impairment Assessment (CIA) [Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Eating Disorders, 315-318, 2008] and the Eating Disorders Examination (EDE) [Int J Eat Disord 6:1-8]. Differences between diagnostic groups were examined, as were differences between restrictive and binge-purge subtypes. CIA scores and EDE scores were positively correlated and higher in groups with binge-purge behaviours. CIA scores were not correlated with BMI, illness duration or frequency of bingeing/purging behaviours, except in the binge-purge AN group, where CIA scores negatively correlated with BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with EDs have poor QoL and impairment increases with illness severity. Patients with binge/purge diagnoses are particularly impaired. It remains unclear which clinical features best predict the degree of impairment experienced by patients with EDs.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: There is a need to improve treatment for individuals with bulimic disorders. It was hypothesised that a focus in treatment on broader emotional and social/interpersonal issues underlying eating disorders would increase treatment efficacy. This study tested a novel treatment based on the above hypothesis, an Emotional and Social Mind Training Group (ESM), against a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Group (CBT) treatment. METHOD: 74 participants were randomised to either ESM or CBT Group treatment programmes. All participants were offered 13 group and 4 individual sessions. The primary outcome measure was the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) Global score. Assessments were carried out at baseline, end of treatment (four months) and follow-up (six months). RESULTS: There were no differences in outcome between the two treatments. No moderators of treatment outcome were identified. Adherence rates were higher for participants in the ESM group. DISCUSSION: This suggests that ESM may be a viable alternative to CBT for some individuals. Further research will be required to identify and preferentially allocate suitable individuals accordingly. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN61115988.
Subject(s)
Bulimia Nervosa , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Emotions , Adult , Bulimia Nervosa/psychology , Bulimia Nervosa/therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate theory of mind (ToM) in individuals with bulimia nervosa (BN), an area neglected by empirical research despite social functioning difficulties in this disorder and evidence of ToM deficits in people with anorexia nervosa (AN). METHOD: ToM was assessed in 48 BN and 34 Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified BN-type (EDNOS-BN) outpatients and 57 healthy controls (HCs) using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes and the Reading the Mind in the Films (RMF), an ecologically valid task novel to BN research. RESULTS: Overall performance in BN and EDNOS-BN groups was equivalent to HCs on both tasks. Individuals with BN had enhanced negative emotion recognition on the RMF. DISCUSSION: Individuals with AN and BN have distinct socio-cognitive profiles. Further research into social cognition is required to establish the link between interpersonal difficulties and psychopathology in people with BN.
Subject(s)
Bulimia Nervosa/psychology , Theory of Mind/physiology , Anxiety/psychology , Cognition/physiology , Depression/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Neuropsychological Tests , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Neurocognition in bulimia nervosa (BN) is under-researched. This study investigated aspects of attention (d2-Letter Cancellation Task), inhibitory control (Stroop and go/no-go task), and decision making (Game of Dice Task) in 40 people with BN, 30 with eating disorder not otherwise specified-BN type (EDNOS-BN), and 65 healthy controls (HCs). The National Adult Reading Test (NART) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) were also administered. Analyses of covariance (covariates: age, NART, and DASS-21) showed that people with BN and EDNOS-BN performed as well as HCs on all tasks. Attention task performance was poorer in the EDNOS-BN than in the BN group.
Subject(s)
Bulimia Nervosa/complications , Cognition Disorders/etiology , Feeding and Eating Disorders/complications , Adult , Analysis of Variance , Attention/physiology , Chi-Square Distribution , Decision Making/physiology , Depression/diagnosis , Depression/etiology , Feeding and Eating Disorders/classification , Female , Humans , Inhibition, Psychological , Neuropsychological Tests , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Reading , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young AdultABSTRACT
Children's versions of the Empathy Quotient (EQ-C) and Systemizing Quotient (SQ-C) were developed and administered to n = 1,256 parents of typically developing children, aged 4-11 years. Both measures showed good test-retest reliability and high internal consistency. As predicted, girls scored significantly higher on the EQ-C, and boys scored significantly higher on the SQ-C. A further sample of n = 265 children with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) scored significantly lower on the EQ-C, and significantly higher on the SQ-C, compared to typical boys. Empathy and systemizing in children show similar patterns of sex differences to those observed in adults. Children with ASC tend towards a 'hyper-masculinized' profile, irrespective of sex.
