Predicting premature termination within a randomized controlled trial for binge-eating patients

The impact of personality disorders and personality traits on psychotherapy treatment outcome of eating disorders: A systematic review

A significant proportion of those with eating disorders (EDs) do not respond to first-line treatments. This systematic review was conducted to identify whether personality disorders (PDs)/traits predict or moderate ED treatment outcomes and whether these outcomes were differentially influenced by ED or PD diagnostic subtypes, or treatment approach. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines. A total of seven randomised controlled trials (RCTs) plus four follow-up studies were reviewed investigating the impact of PD and PD traits on treatment outcomes for EDs. The majority indicated that PD had some impact on treatment outcomes. Outcome measures and time-point measurements varied across studies. Included studies suggested that bulimia nervosa treatment outcomes were not hindered by co-morbidity of borderline PD; however, psychiatric impairment remained high at post-treatment and follow-up. Cluster C PDs were found to negatively impact treatment outcomes for binge ED and attrition rates for anorexia nervosa. Included studies suggested that interventions that addressed aspects of personality pathology showed greater main effects for ED treatment outcomes. There is an urgent need for future RCTs on ED treatments to include routine measures of core personality features to allow their impacts to be more thoroughly examined and for psychotherapies to be tailored accordingly.

BED-online: Acceptance and efficacy of an internet-based treatment for binge-eating disorder: A randomized clinical trial including waitlist conditions

Objective

Internet‐based guided self‐help (GSH) programs increase accessibility and utilization of evidence‐based treatments in binge‐eating disorder (BED). We evaluated acceptance and short as well as long‐term efficacy of our 8‐session internet‐based GSH program in a randomized clinical trial with an immediate treatment group, and two waitlist control groups, which differed with respect to whether patients received positive expectation induction during waiting or not.

Method

Sixty‐three patients (87% female, mean age 37.2 years) followed the eight‐session guided cognitive‐behavioural internet‐based program and three booster sessions in a randomized clinical trial design including an immediate treatment and two waitlist control conditions. Outcomes were treatment acceptance, number of weekly binge‐eating episodes, eating disorder pathology, depressiveness, and level of psychosocial functioning.

Results

Treatment satisfaction was high, even though 27% of all patients dropped out during the active treatment and 9.5% during the follow‐up period of 6 months. The treatment, in contrast to the waiting conditions, led to a significant reduction of weekly binge‐eating episodes from 3.4 to 1.7 with no apparent rebound effect during follow‐up. All other outcomes improved as well during active treatment. Email‐based positive expectation induction during waiting period prior to the treatment did not have an additional beneficial effect on the temporal course and thus treatment success, of binge episodes in this study.

Conclusion

This short internet‐based program was clearly accepted and highly effective regarding core features of BED. Dropout rates were higher in the active and lower in the follow‐up period. Positive expectations did not have an impact on treatment effects.

The present internet‐based guided self‐help program adds to the existing research regarding online treatment of binge‐eating disorder and is currently one of the two existing validated programs available in German language. It is based on an established cognitive‐behavioural treatment approach, shows high acceptance by patients and high efficacy after eight guided online sessions, thereby representing the shortest duration of currently evaluated treatments

During the internet‐based therapy, the number of weekly binge‐eating episodes, depressive symptoms, eating disorder pathology as well as impairments in psychosocial functioning all significantly decreased. These positive effects were maintained during follow‐up (6 months). Abstainer rate (no binge‐eating during last month) continued to increase during follow‐up with booster sessions

An email‐based pre‐treatment positive expectation induction did not alter the temporal course and thus treatment success, of binge episodes

Matching research and practice: Prediction of individual patient progress and dropout risk for basic routine outcome monitoring

OBJECTIVE

Despite evidence showing that systematic outcome monitoring can prevent treatment failure, the practical conditions that allow for implementation are seldom met in naturalistic psychological services. In the context of limited time and resources, session-by-session evaluation is rare in most clinical settings. This study aimed to validate innovative prediction methods for individual treatment progress and dropout risk based on basic outcome monitoring.

METHODS

Routine data of a naturalistic psychotherapy outpatient sample were analyzed (N = 3902). Patients were treated with cognitive behavioral therapy with up to 95 sessions (M = 39.19, SD = 16.99) and assessment intervals of 5-15 sessions. Treatment progress and dropout risk were predicted in two independent analyses using the nearest neighbor method and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, respectively.

RESULTS

The correlation between observed and predicted patient progress was r = .46. Intrinsic treatment motivation, previous inpatient treatment, university-entrance qualification, baseline impairment, diagnosed personality disorder, and diagnosed eating disorder were identified as significant predictors of dropout, explaining 11% of variance.

CONCLUSIONS

Innovative outcome prediction in naturalistic psychotherapy is not limited to elaborated progress monitoring. This study demonstrates a reasonable approach for tracking patient progress as long as session-by-session assessment is not a valid standard.

Clinical outcomes of psychotherapy dropouts: does dropping out of psychotherapy necessarily mean failure?

Objective:

A large proportion of psychotherapy patients remain untreated, mostly because they drop out. This study compares the short- and long-term outcomes of patients who dropped out of psychotherapy to those of therapy completers.

Methods:

The sample included 63 patients (23 dropouts and 40 completers) from a controlled clinical trial, which compared narrative therapy vs. cognitive-behavioral therapy for major depressive disorder. Patients were assessed at the eighth session, post-treatment, and at 31-month follow-up.

Results:

Dropouts improved less than completers by the last session attended, but continued to improve significantly more than completers during the follow-up period. Some dropout patients improved with a small dose of therapy (17% achieved a clinically significant change before abandoning treatment), while others only achieved clinically significant change after a longer period (62% at 31-month follow-up).

Conclusion:

These results emphasize the importance of dealing effectively with patients at risk of dropping out of therapy.Patients who dropped out also reported improvement of depressive symptoms without therapy, but took much longer to improve than did patients who completed therapy. This might be attributable to natural remission of depression. Further research should use a larger patient database, ideally gathered by meta-analysis.

A meta-analysis of the relation between therapeutic alliance and treatment outcome in eating disorders

The therapeutic alliance has demonstrated an association with favorable psychotherapeutic outcomes in the treatment of eating disorders (EDs). However, questions remain about the inter-relationships between early alliance, early symptom improvement, and treatment outcome. We conducted a meta-analysis on the relations among these constructs, and possible moderators of these relations, in psychosocial treatments for EDs. Twenty studies met inclusion criteria and supplied sufficient supplementary data. Results revealed small-to-moderate effect sizes, βs = 0.13 to 0.22 (p < .05), indicating that early symptom improvement was related to subsequent alliance quality and that alliance ratings also were related to subsequent symptom reduction. The relationship between early alliance and treatment outcome was partially accounted for by early symptom improvement. With regard to moderators, early alliance showed weaker associations with outcome in therapies with a strong behavioral component relative to nonbehavioral therapies. However, alliance showed stronger relations to outcome for younger (vs. older) patients, over and above the variance shared with early symptom improvement. In sum, early symptom reduction enhances therapeutic alliance and treatment outcome in EDs, but early alliance may require specific attention for younger patients and for those receiving nonbehaviorally oriented treatments.

Predicting Dropout from Intensive Outpatient Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Binge Eating Disorder Using Pre-treatment Characteristics: A Naturalistic Study

BACKGROUND

Dropout rates in binge eating disorder (BED) treatment are high (17-30%), and predictors of dropout are unknown.

METHOD

Participants were 376 patients following an intensive outpatient cognitive behavioural therapy programme for BED, 82 of whom (21.8%) dropped out of treatment. An exploratory logistic regression was performed using eating disorder variables, general psychopathology, personality and demographics to identify predictors of dropout.

RESULTS

Binge eating pathology, preoccupations with eating, shape and weight, social adjustment, agreeableness, and social embedding appeared to be significant predictors of dropout. Also, education showed an association to dropout.

DISCUSSION

This is one of the first studies investigating pre-treatment predictors for dropout in BED treatment. The total explained variance of the prediction model was low, yet the model correctly classified 80.6% of cases, which is comparable to other dropout studies in eating disorders. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Personality disorders and obesity: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Studies demonstrate an association between personality traits and obesity as well as their prognostic influence on weight course. In contrast, only few studies have investigated the association between personality disorders (PDs) and obesity.

OBJECTIVE

The present review summarizes through a comprehensive and critical evaluation the results of 68 studies identified by database research (PubMed and PsycINFO) covering the last 35 years that investigated the association between PDs, overweight and obesity as well as the predictive value of PDs for the development of obesity and the effectiveness of weight reduction treatments.

RESULTS

Adults with any PD have a higher risk of obesity. In the female general population, there is an association between avoidant or antisocial PD and severe obesity. Further, women with paranoid or schizotypal PD have a higher risk of obesity. Clinical studies including foremost female participants showed a higher comorbidity of PDs, especially borderline PD and avoidant PD, in binge-eating disorder. Regarding both genders, patients with PD show less treatment success in conservative weight-loss treatment programmes for obesity than patients without PD.

CONCLUSIONS

In prevention and conservative weight-loss treatment strategies, more care should be taken to address the special needs of patients with comorbid PDs.

Binge-eating disorder diagnosis and treatment: a recap in front of DSM-5

INTRODUCTION

Binge Eating Disorders is a clinical syndrome recently coded as an autonomous diagnosis in DSM-5. Individuals affected by Binge Eating Disorder (BED) show significantly lower quality of life and perceived health and higher psychological distress compared to the non-BED obese population. BED treatment is complex due to clinical and psychological reasons but also to high drop-out and poor stability of achieved goals. The purpose of this review is to explore the available data on this topic, outlining the state-of-the-art on both diagnostic issues and most effective treatment strategies.

METHODS

We identified studies published in the last 6 years searching the MeSH Term "binge eating disorder", with specific regard to classification, diagnosis and treatment, in major computerized literature databases including: Medline, PubMed, PsychINFO and Science Direct.

RESULTS

A total of 233 studies were found and, among them, 71 were selected and included in the review.

REVIEW

Although Binge Eating Disorder diagnostic criteria showed empirical consistency, core psychopathology traits should be taken into account to address treatment strategies. The available body of evidence shows psychological treatments as first line interventions, even if their efficacy on weight loss needs further exploration. Behavioral and self-help interventions evidenced some efficacy in patients with lower psychopathological features. Pharmacological treatment plays an important role, but data are still limited by small samples and short follow-up times. The role of bariatric surgery, a recommended treatment for obesity that is often required also by patients with Binge Eating Disorder, deserves more specific studies. Combining different interventions at the same time does not add significant advantages, planning sequential treatments, with more specific interventions for non-responders, seems to be a more promising strategy.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite its recent inclusion in DSM-5 as an autonomous disease, BED diagnosis and treatment strategies deserve further deepening. A multidisciplinary and stepped-care treatment appears as a promising management strategy. Longer and more structured follow-up studies are required, in order to enlighten long term outcomes and to overcome the high dropout rates affecting current studies.

Psychopathological characteristics of patients seeking for bariatric surgery, either affected or not by binge eating disorder following the criteria of the DSM IV TR and of the DSM 5

We evaluate whether there are any significant differences in psychopathology between severe obese patients affected by Binge Eating Disorder diagnosed following both the DSM IV TR and the DSM5 criteria, and severe obese patients not having an eating disorder.

METHOD

118 severe obese patients seeking treatment at a center for bariatric surgery in northern Italy were asked to take part in the current study for a period of six months. Average participant age was 44.27 years, SD 12.42. Age ranged from 18 to 67 years. Average patient BMI was 45.03, SD 7.11, ranging from 32.14 to 66.16 kg/m(2). Seventy seven of the patients (65.3%) were females and 41 (34.7%) were males. BED diagnosis was determined following the diagnostic criteria of both the DSM IV TR and the DSM 5. The presence of other eating disorders was excluded through a clinical screening using the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI). Patient eating habits and the presence of emotional eating were appraised using the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire. Levels of depression and anxiety were evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory.

RESULTS

57 out of 118 patients were found to be affected by BED following the DSM 5 criteria; among them 24 followed those of the DSM IV TR. BED patients scored higher on four subscales of the Eating Disorders Inventory: Drive for thinness (DT), Bulimia (B), Body dissatisfaction (BD) and Interoceptive awareness (IA) on the STAI and on the Disinhibition and Hunger subscales of the TFEQ.

DISCUSSION

The results confirm the presence of high levels of psychopathology among patients diagnosed with BED, even if they have been diagnosed following the criteria of the DSM 5. There is a great overlap in psychopathology between BED patients diagnosed following the DSM IV TR and the DSM 5 criteria.

The role of the therapeutic alliance in eating disorder treatment outcomes: a systematic review

The therapeutic alliance has proven to be an important construct in psychotherapy outcomes research for numerous psychiatric disorders. Given that dropout rates from treatment are especially high for individuals with eating disorders, it is critical to clarify the role that the therapeutic alliance plays in predicting treatment outcomes for this specific population. MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases were systematically reviewed for studies that formally measured the therapeutic alliance construct and at least one other treatment variable in the context of eating disorder treatment. We identified 19 studies that indicate the therapeutic alliance may be an important factor in eating disorder treatment, yet reflect on the paucity of research on this topic in the context of treatment outcomes for both adult and adolescent populations. Current trends and limitations in the literature are highlighted to guide future research and ultimately improve clinical outcomes for patients with eating disorders.

The therapeutic process in psychological treatments for eating disorders: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

For eating disorders, a vast number of investigations have demonstrated the efficacy of psychological treatments. However, evidence supporting the impact of therapeutic process aspects on outcome (i.e., process-outcome research) has not been disentangled.

METHOD

Using the Generic Model of Psychotherapy (GMP) to organize various process aspects, a systematic literature search was conducted on psychological treatment studies for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, and eating disorders not otherwise specified.

RESULTS

Improved outcomes resulted for family-based treatment compared to individual treatment, for individual compared to group treatment, booster sessions, and positive patient expectations (GMP contract aspect); for nutritional counseling and exercising but not exposure with response prevention as adjunct interventions (therapeutic operations); for highly motivated patients and, to a lesser extent, for therapeutic alliance (therapeutic bond); as well as for rapid response and longer overall treatment duration (temporal patterns). Regarding other GMP aspects, studies on self-relatedness were completely lacking and in-session impacts were rarely investigated.

DISCUSSION

As most studies assessed only a limited number of process aspects, the ability to draw conclusions about their overall impact regarding outcome is rather limited. Therefore, future process-outcome research is needed beyond investigations of treatment efficacy for eating disorders.

Predicting Psychotherapy Dropouts: A Multilevel Approach

The role of therapeutic processes in predicting premature termination of psychotherapy has been a particular focus of recent research. The purpose of this study was to contrast outpatients who completed therapy and those who dropped out with respect to their self-reported in-session experiences of self-esteem, mastery, clarification and the therapeutic alliance. The 296 patients with mixed disorders were treated with an integrative form of cognitive-behavioural therapy without pre-determined time limit (M = 20.2 sessions). Multilevel analyses indicated that patients who did not completetreatment reported, on average, lower levels of self-esteem, mastery and clarification and lower ratings of their therapeutic alliance in treatment in contrast to patients who completed therapy. Patient-reported change in self-esteem experiences over the course of treatment turned out to be the strongest predictor of dropout from psychotherapy or successful completion. When dropout occurred before the average treatment length was reached, patients reported fewer clarifying experiences as early as the first session and their ratings of the therapeutic alliance were characterized by an absence of positive development. Both of these aspects seem to be involved in patients' decisions to leave treatment early. The findings underscore the importance of the therapeutic process in understanding the mechanisms behind treatment dropout.

KEY PRACTITIONER MESSAGE

Analyses data from 296 patients at a private outpatient clinic in a routine practice setting (CBT). Completer/dropout definition: presence or absence of measurement battery at post-assessment. Focuses on change in therapy processes by investigating post-session reports. Finds that positive changes in self-esteem experiences is the most robust predictor of dropout, followed by ratings of clarification experiences and the global alliance. In line with recent dropout research, these process indicators might help to detect therapeutic situations that are connected with psychotherapy dropouts.