Early predictors of treatment outcome in a partial hospital program for adolescent anorexia nervosa

Previous research supports the relevance of early symptom change in eating disorder (ED) treatment; however, few studies have distinguished early weight change from early change in ED psychopathology, particularly in higher levels of care. Thus, the present study examined whether early change in weight and ED psychopathology predicted outcome for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) in a partial hospitalization program.

Adolescents with AN (n = 99) completed assessments at admission, 1-month after treatment admission, discharge, and 6-month follow-up.

Higher admission percent expected body weight (%EBW), greater early change in %EBW, longer duration of treatment, shorter length of illness, and earlier age of onset predicted greater change in %EBW at discharge, but not follow-up. Greater ED psychopathology at admission and greater early change in ED psychopathology predicted later change in ED symptoms at discharge, but not follow-up. Neither early change in %EBW nor ED psychopathology predicted likelihood of remission at discharge and follow-up.

Results support the importance of early change in predicting later change in the same ED outcome variables and suggest that early change in both %EBW and ED psychopathology in adolescents may be an important area for future research.