Treatment improves symptoms shared by PTSD and disordered eating

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Trauma Studies

Background:

• Eating disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently co-occur, sharing symptoms like emotion dysregulation and dissociation.
• Despite different presentations, these comorbid conditions present significant clinical challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if reductions in PTSD symptoms after Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) correlate with improvements in shared PTSD and eating disorder symptoms.
• To examine the impact of CPT components on these common symptoms.

Main Methods:

• A randomized dismantling study of CPT was conducted with 65 women diagnosed with PTSD and a history of sexual assault.
• Participants completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) pre- and posttreatment.
• Latent growth modeling was used to analyze the associations between PTSD symptom reduction and changes in EDI-2 subscales.

Main Results:

• Decreases in PTSD symptom severity were significantly linked to improvements in specific EDI-2 subscales: Impulse Regulation, Interoceptive Awareness, Interpersonal Distrust, Ineffectiveness, and Maturity Fears.
• This indicates that PTSD treatment positively impacts symptoms common to both disorders.

Conclusions:

• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) demonstrates efficacy in reducing symptoms that overlap between PTSD and eating disorders.
• While CPT addresses shared features, specialized interventions may be necessary for persistent disordered eating attitudes and behaviors.