Exploring Comorbid Psychopathology as Predictors of Outcome and Drop-Out From Enhanced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy...

Enhanced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT-E) has demonstrated effectiveness in adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) and atypical anorexia nervosa (AAN); however, there is limited knowledge about factors that influence treatment outcome. The current study aimed to identify whether comorbid psychopathology predicted treatment response or drop-out in CBT-E for adolescents with AN and AAN in a real-world setting.

A prospective cohort of 62 young people with AN or AAN engaging in CBT-E (female = 96.8%, M age = 15.31 years, SD = 1.32, range 12-17) at a public community outpatient service was evaluated. Measures included body mass index (BMI) centile and measures of eating disorder (ED) and comorbid psychopathology, which were assessed pre- and post-CBT-E.

Results showed that higher baseline anxiety symptoms predicted drop-out from treatment, and higher baseline BMI predicted higher end-of-treatment BMI.

Findings highlight the potential role of anxiety, ED psychopathology, and BMI in predicting the outcome of CBT-E for adolescents with AN and AAN. Future studies should examine whether tailoring CBT-E to individual physical and psychological profiles may help optimise its effectiveness in routine clinical care.