Cognitive behavioral therapy-enhanced through videoconferencing for night eating syndrome, binge-eating disorder and...

Both night-eating syndrome and binge-eating disorder are characterized by episodes of excessive food consumption, significant distress, and functional impairment related to maladaptive eating behaviors. Both types of eating disorders are associated with poorer sleep quality. Cognitive behavioral therapy has demonstrated good outcomes for binge-eating disorder; however, it is unknown if it is effective for night-eating syndrome and comorbid insomnia.

The current paper presents a case report of a Dutch woman in her 40's receiving cognitive behavioral therapy-enhanced for night-eating syndrome, as well as binge-eating disorder. However, to tailor the intervention to her specific needs, throughout the course of treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy-insomnia interventions were also implemented. Her comorbid complaints were insomnia, childhood trauma, a depressive mood disorder, and cluster B and C personality traits. She had a history of bariatric surgery, as well as alcohol addiction, and received various treatments in the past, aiming to become abstinent from binge eating.

Post-treatment, she was abstinent from binge eating and, her scores of various eating disorder measures were below clinical cut-points. However, it is unclear if she would show earlier symptom reduction if she received cognitive behavioral therapy-insomnia, prior to cognitive behavioral therapy-enhanced. In addition, the patient reported an increase in her depressive mood and commenced schema therapy after cognitive behavioral therapy- enhanced. Although common, the underlying cause of symptom shifts in patients with an eating disorder remains largely unknown.