A pilot study of multifamily therapy group for young adults with anorexia nervosa: Reconnecting for recovery

We tested the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effect sizes on outcome measures of Reconnecting for Recovery (R4R) Multifamily Therapy Group for young adults with anorexia nervosa (AN).

Ten participants (mean age = 23 years, SD = 3.6) meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition criteria for a restrictive eating disorder (AN or other specified feeding and eating disorder) and 14 family members received 16 R4R outpatient sessions over 26 weeks. Feasibility and acceptability were evaluated by recruitment and retention rates and patient/family member suitability scores. Outcomes were determined utilizing the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE), weight (body mass index), and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale.

All participants and 12 family members were retained, and the majority found R4R acceptable. EDE global score and lack of emotional awareness improved significantly from baseline (BL) to end-of-treatment (EOT) and BL to 6-month follow-up (6MFU) with moderate to large effect sizes (0.47-1.41). Limited access to emotion regulation strategies (LAERS) improved significantly from BL to 6MFU (moderate effect size; 0.57). Improvements in LAERS from BL to EOT (0.32) and weight from BL to EOT and BL to 6MFU were not significant (effect sizes 0.16-0.22).

Findings provide preliminary evidence that R4R is feasible, acceptable, and produces clinically significant changes in targeted outcomes.