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Delivering Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-T) for Eating Disorders: Examining Real-World Outcomes of a
Laura Dixon1, Colby Price1, Sara Bartel1
1Nova Scotia Provincial Eating Disorder Service, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, Canada.
The International Journal of Eating Disorders
|July 2, 2025
Summary
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Ten (CBT-T) significantly reduced eating disorder symptoms, binge eating, and depression in adults. Early symptom improvement predicted better outcomes, though dropout was higher for anorexia nervosa diagnoses.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Eating Disorders
Background:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Ten (CBT-T) is a 10-session protocol designed to increase access and reduce wait times for eating disorder (ED) treatment.
- The Nova Scotia Eating Disorder Provincial Service implemented CBT-T, training 36 clinicians to offer it provincially.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine changes in ED psychopathology, binge eating, compensatory behaviors, anxiety, and depression in adult patients treated with CBT-T.
- To conduct an exploratory analysis of predictors of treatment outcome, dropout, and extension.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective chart review of 267 adults who began CBT-T between July 2022 and March 2024.
- Mixed-effects models were used to analyze symptom changes over time and identify predictors of treatment outcomes.
Main Results:
- Significant reductions were observed in ED psychopathology, binge eating, compensatory behaviors, anxiety, and depression.
- Large to very large effect sizes were noted for primary and secondary outcomes at treatment's end.
- Early improvement in ED psychopathology predicted better outcomes, while diagnoses of anorexia nervosa and atypical anorexia nervosa were linked to higher dropout rates.
Conclusions:
- CBT-T appears to be an effective and scalable treatment for eating disorders, demonstrating significant symptom reduction with large effect sizes.
- Future research should focus on adaptations to enhance treatment retention, particularly for individuals with anorexia nervosa and atypical anorexia nervosa.
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