The clinical presentation of avoidant restrictive food intake disorder in children and adolescents is largely independent of sex, autism spectrum disorder and anxiety traits.

Background: Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a new eating disorder with a heterogeneous clinical presentation. It is unclear which patient characteristics contribute to its heterogeneity.

Methods: To identify these patient characteristics, we performed symptom-level correlation and driver-level regression analyses in our cross-sectional study in up to 261 ARFID patients (51% female; median age = 12.

Group cognitive remediation therapy for children and adolescents in intensive day-patient treatment for anorexia nervosa: a feasibility study.

Background: Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) is an adjunct treatment targeting set-shifting (SS) and weak central coherence (CC) thought to play a role in maintaining anorexia nervosa (AN). This study aimed to test the feasibility of brief group CRT for young people with AN in a day-patient setting using neuropsychological assessment of SS and CC. It also explored the benefit for young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) features.

An examination of the clinical outcomes of adolescents and young adults with broad autism spectrum traits and autism spectrum disorder and anorexia nervosa: A multi centre study.

Objectives: To compare the clinical outcomes of adolescents and young adults with anorexia nervosa (AN) comorbid with broad autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or ASD traits.

Method: The developmental and well-being assessment and social aptitude scale were used to categorize adolescents and young adults with AN (N = 149) into those with ASD traits (N = 23), and those who also fulfilled diagnostic criteria for a possible/probable ASD (N = 6). We compared both eating disorders specific measures and broader outcome measures at intake and 12 months follow-up.

A longitudinal examination of dyadic distress patterns following a skills intervention for carers of adolescents with anorexia nervosa.

Family interventions in anorexia nervosa (AN) have been developed to ameliorate maladaptive patterns of patient-carer interaction that can play a role in illness maintenance. The primary aim of this study is to examine the inter-relationship between baseline and post-treatment distress in dyads of carers and patients with AN to examine the interdependence between carers and patients. The secondary aim is to examine whether a carer skills intervention [Experienced Carer Helping Others (ECHO)] impacts on this inter-relationship.

The Objective and Subjective Caregiving Burden and Caregiving Behaviours of Parents of Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa.

Objective: The study aimed to examine caregiving burden and levels of distress, accommodating behaviours, expressed emotion (EE) and carers' skills, in parents of adolescents with anorexia nervosa.

Method: A semi-structured interview assessed the objective burden (time spent across caregiving tasks) in parents (n = 196) of adolescents (n = 144) receiving outpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa. Subjective burden (carers' distress), accommodating behaviours, EE and carers' skills were measured by self-report.

Coeliac disease in adolescence: Coping strategies and personality factors affecting compliance with gluten-free diet.

Objectives: Patients suffering from a chronic condition such as coeliac disease (CD) need to develop coping strategies in order to preserve emotional balance and psychosocial functioning while adhering to their obligatory life-long gluten free diet (GFD). However, this can be particularly challenging for adolescents and may lead to dietary transgressions. Little is currently known about the influence of coping strategies and personality factors on dietary compliance.

Two-year Follow-up of a Pragmatic Randomised Controlled Trial Examining the Effect of Adding a Carer's Skill Training Intervention in Inpatients with Anorexia Nervosa.

Background: Active family engagement improves outcomes from adolescent inpatient care, but the impact on adult anorexia nervosa is uncertain.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the 2-year outcome following a pragmatic randomised controlled trial in which a skill training intervention (Experienced Caregivers Helping Others) for carers was added to inpatient care.

Method: Patient, caregiver and service outcomes were measured for 2 years following discharge from the index inpatient admission.

An examination of the impact of care giving styles (accommodation and skilful communication and support) on the one year outcome of adolescent anorexia nervosa: Testing the assumptions of the cognitive interpersonal model in anorexia nervosa.

Background: The cognitive interpersonal model predicts that parental caregiving style will impact on the rate of improvement of anorexia nervosa symptoms. The study aims to examine whether the absolute levels and the relative congruence between mothers' and fathers' care giving styles influenced the rate of change of their children's symptoms of anorexia nervosa over 12 months.

Methods: Triads (n=54) consisting of patients with anorexia nervosa and both of their parents were included in the study.

A preliminary investigation of a novel training to target cognitive biases towards negative social stimuli in Anorexia Nervosa.

Background: Patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) experience high levels of social difficulties and anxiety. These problems might be underpinned by negatively biased processing of social stimuli. The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of using a novel Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) training to target information processing biases in patients with AN.

Clinical effectiveness of a skills training intervention for caregivers in improving patient and caregiver health following in-patient treatment for severe anorexia nervosa: pragmatic randomised controlled trial.

Background: Families express a need for information to support people with severe anorexia nervosa.

Aims: To examine the impact of the addition of a skills training intervention for caregivers (Experienced Caregivers Helping Others, ECHO) to standard care.

Method: Patients over the age of 12 (mean age 26 years, duration 72 months illness) with a primary diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and their caregivers were recruited from 15 in-patient services in the UK.

Emotional Processing, Recognition, Empathy and Evoked Facial Expression in Eating Disorders: An Experimental Study to Map Deficits in Social Cognition.

Background: Difficulties in social cognition have been identified in eating disorders (EDs), but the exact profile of these abnormalities is unclear. The aim of this study is to examine distinct processes of social-cognition in this patient group, including attentional processing and recognition, empathic reaction and evoked facial expression in response to discrete vignettes of others displaying positive (i.e.

Collaborative Care: The New Maudsley Model.

The aim of this article is to describe the rationale and practice of the New Maudsley collaborative care intervention for families of people with eating disorders. The intervention teaches carers the underpinning theory with practical examples on how to optimize their care giving, communication, and coping skills. This includes moderating high expressed emotion and reducing the tendency to accommodate and/or enable illness behaviors.

An examination of autism spectrum traits in adolescents with anorexia nervosa and their parents.

Background: There may be a link between anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum disorders. The aims of this study were to examine whether adolescents with anorexia nervosa have autism spectrum and/or obsessive-compulsive traits, how many would meet diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder, and whether these traits are shared by parents.

Methods: A total of 150 adolescents receiving outpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa or subthreshold anorexia nervosa and their parents completed the autism spectrum disorder and eating disorder sections of the Development and Well-being Assessment.

Emotional processing of infants displays in eating disorders.

Aim: The aim of this study is to examine emotional processing of infant displays in people with Eating Disorders (EDs).

Background: Social and emotional factors are implicated as causal and maintaining factors in EDs. Difficulties in emotional regulation have been mainly studied in relation to adult interactions, with less interest given to interactions with infants.

Development and validation of a scale to measure caregiver skills in eating disorders.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new questionnaire designed to measure caregiver skills that, in line with the interpersonal component of the cognitive interpersonal maintenance model (Schmidt and Treasure, J Br J Clin Psychol, 45, 343-366, 2006), may be helpful in the support of people with anorexia nervosa (AN). A further aim is to assess whether this scale is sensitive to change following skills-based caregiver interventions.

Method: The Caregiver Skills (CASK) scale was developed by a group of clinicians and caregivers.

Carers' assessment, skills and information sharing (CASIS) trial: a qualitative study of the experiential perspective of caregivers and patients.

Background: Families express a need for guidance in helping their loved ones with anorexia nervosa (AN). Guided self-help interventions can offer support to caregivers.

Methods: One hundred seventy-eight adult AN patients and their caregivers were recruited from 15 UK treatment centres.

An exploratory study of evoked facial affect in adolescent females with anorexia nervosa.

The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate facial affect in adolescent females with anorexia nervosa (AN). Evoked facial affect was recorded whilst AN and control participants (n=34) viewed emotional films. Significantly less facial affect was found in AN adolescents, despite reporting no differences in subjective emotion experience.

Interventions for caregivers of someone with an eating disorder: a meta-analysis.

Objective: A variety of interventions have been developed for caregivers of people with an eating disorder either to help them cope with the burden and distress that commonly accompanies this role or to make them more effective at providing support. The aim of the study is to perform a meta-analysis of quantitative studies that have described the impact of these interventions on caregivers.

Method: Electronic databases were searched between September 2001 and September 2013.

Experienced Carers Helping Others (ECHO): protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial to examine a psycho-educational intervention for adolescents with anorexia nervosa and their carers.

Experienced Carers Helping Others (ECHO) is an intervention for carers of people with eating disorders. This paper describes the theoretical background and protocol of a pilot multicentre randomised controlled trial that will explore the use of two variants of ECHO for improving outcomes for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) referred for outpatient care. Adolescent patients and their carers (typically parents and close others in a supportive role) will be recruited from 38 eating disorder outpatient services across the UK.

Disseminating skills to carers of people with eating disorders: an examination of treatment fidelity in lay and professional carer coaches.

Family members of people with eating disorders (EDs) have high levels of stress and can use maladaptive methods of coping. We have developed an intervention, using motivational interviewing (MI) strategies that trains lay and professional carer coaches (CCs) to support carers of adolescents with EDs to use more adaptive coping procedures. The aim of this study is to measure treatment integrity in coaches with either academic or lived experience.

Confirmatory factor analysis for two questionnaires of caregiving in eating disorders.

Objective: Caring for someone diagnosed with an eating disorder (ED) is associated with a high level of burden and psychological distress which can inadvertently contribute to the maintenance of the illness. The Eating Disorders Symptom Impact Scale (EDSIS) and Accommodation and Enabling Scale for Eating Disorders (AESED) are self-report scales to assess elements of caregiving theorised to contribute to the maintenance of an ED. Further validation and confirmation of the factor structures for these scales are necessary for rigorous evaluation of complex interventions which target these modifiable elements of caregiving.