[The Berlin follow-up study of eating disorders in adolescence. Part 3: Evaluation and prognosis]

This third report from the Berlin follow-up study of eating disorders in adolescence reports findings pertaining to evaluation and prognosis. Based on a systematic analysis of the relevant literature on the course of eating disorders, the following items were analyzed with respect to their value in predicting the psychopathological status of the patient at discharge from inpatient treatment and at follow-up: BMI at admission, age at onset of the disease, duration of symptoms before admission, personality features such as depression and neuroticism, the number of physical complaints, diagnosis (anorexia vs. bulimia), type of eating disorder (purger vs. restrictor), premorbid eating disorders or behavioral abnormalities, socioeconomic status, duration of in-patient treatment, and out-patient psychotherapy following discharge from the hospital. None of the factors predicted psychopathological status at either discharge or long-term follow-up.