Family therapy for anorexia nervosa

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Family Studies

Background:

• Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a severe eating disorder with poor long-term prognosis, marked by distorted body image and low body weight.
• Medical, developmental, and psychosocial complications are common, alongside high relapse and mortality rates.
• Family therapy is a frequently utilized intervention for AN.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of family therapy in treating Anorexia Nervosa.
• To compare family therapy outcomes against standard treatment and alternative interventions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
• Searched multiple databases (CCDANCTR, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, EMBASE, ClinicalTrials.gov) up to January 2008.
• Included RCTs comparing family therapy to other interventions or family therapy variants for AN patients.

Main Results:

• 13 trials were included, primarily family-based therapy variants; trial conduct reporting was generally inadequate.
• Limited evidence suggests family therapy may improve short-term remission rates compared to treatment as usual (2 studies, 81 participants).
• No significant advantage was found for family therapy over educational or other psychological interventions (1-4 studies).

Conclusions:

• Some evidence indicates family therapy may be effective for Anorexia Nervosa in the short term versus standard care.
• Conclusions are limited by the small number of participants and potential bias in the included studies.
• Further large, well-conducted trials are needed to clarify the role of family therapy in AN treatment.