Objective: We aimed to evaluate longitudinal changes in set-shifting and central coherence in a predominantly adolescent cohort with anorexia nervosa (AN) and to explore whether these factors predict long-term eating disorder outcomes.
Method: Ninety-two female patients with AN (mean age: 16.2, range: 13-21 years) completed neurocognitive tests (Rey Complex Figure Test, Adapted Version of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) before and after 12 months of psychotherapeutic treatment (n = 45 Maudsley AN Treatment, MANTRa; n = 47 standard psychotherapy; groups not randomised).
Objective: "Supporting Carers of Children and Adolescents with Eating Disorders in Austria" (SUCCEAT), a skills training for parents, delivered via workshops (WS) or online modules (ONL), has been proven to be effective in terms of parental distress, caregiver skills, and adolescents' outcome. This study examined the adherence to and the acceptability and feasibility of SUCCEAT.
Method: One-hundred parents (86% mothers) of adolescents with anorexia nervosa participated in the 8-week training.
Background: The current study examined whether risk factors for anorexia nervosa (AN) were related to different levels of severity based on (a) the DSM-5/body mass index (BMI) and (b) drive for thinness (DT) severity ratings.
Methods: The sample comprised 153 pairs of individuals with a lifetime diagnosis AN per DSM-IV criteria and their non-ED sisters (N = 306, mean age = 26.53; mean current BMI = 20.
Objective: Medication is commonly used in anorexia nervosa (AN) despite largely missing high grade evidence. Olanzapine (OLZ) is the best-evidenced substance used off-label in this group, with conflicting outcome regarding BMI, clinical and safety parameters. Therefore, it is important to strictly assure quality of treatment with OLZ in AN by using 'Therapeutic Drug Monitoring' according to AGNP-guidelines, including serum levels and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to support safety for adolescents with AN and attempt to generate an initial age- and disorder-specific therapeutic reference range.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The aim of this study was examining the efficacy of the Maudsley Model of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adolescents and Young Adults (MANTRa) compared to individual psychotherapy that can be considered as standard in Austria (TAU-O).
Method: In this cohort study, 92 patients between 13 and 21 years suffering from full-syndrome, atypical or weight-restored anorexia nervosa (AN) received either 24-34 individual MANTRa sessions (n = 45) or TAU-O (n = 47). Outcome variables were age- and sex-related BMI, eating disorder and comorbid psychopathology at 6-, 12- and 18-month post baseline as well as acceptability of treatment and therapeutic alliance.
Z Kinder Jugendpsychiatr Psychother
November 2023
The Therapeutic Potential of Prebiotics and Probiotics in Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders This short review summarizes the literature available on therapeutic interventions with prebiotics and probiotics and their potential use in psychiatric disorders in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Most studies of children and adolescents are done on ADHD and autism spectrum disorders, whereas single reports exist largely on positive effects on cognitive symptoms and quality of life. Initial studies regarding anorexia nervosa point to a potential effect of weight gain and reduction of gastrointestinal symptoms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To compare different aspects of caregiving distress and experience in parents of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: Three cohorts of parents of AN patients (cohort 1-pre-pandemic: N = 78, cohort 2-first pandemic year: N = 51, cohort 3-second pandemic year: N = 119) were recruited from child and adolescent psychiatry wards and cross-sectionally assessed as part of the clinical routine. Quantitative measures of psychological distress, psychopathology, eating disorder (ED)-related burden, expressed emotion and caregiver skills were obtained at the beginning of the child's inpatient or outpatient treatment.
Chronic physical health conditions (CPHC) are on the rise in younger age groups and might have a negative impact on children and adolescents. In a representative sample of Austrian adolescents aged 10-18 years, internalizing, externalizing, and behavioral problems were assessed cross-sectionally using the Youth Self-Report and health-related quality of life (HrQoL) using the KIDSCREEN questionnaire. Sociodemographic variables, life events, and chronic illness specific parameters were considered as associated variables with mental health problems in individuals with CPHC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of this study was to explore the factor structure, scale characteristics and convergent validity of a German version of the Eating Disorder Symptom Impact Scale (EDSIS). A total of 335 parents of adolescents and young adults with anorexia nervosa in inpatient or outpatient treatment completed the 24-item German translation of the EDSIS and other measures of caregiving burden and psychological distress. We tested a 4 vs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aims to investigate the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents with type-1-diabetes (T1D). We conducted 18 semi-structured interviews including adolescents with T1D (n = 10, 50% female, 15-18 years) and their parents (n = 8, 88% mothers). The main topics addressed were experiences during confinement regarding everyday life, lifestyle behaviors, diabetes management and treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To assess personality factors, coping, developmental conditions and quality of life in female adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and high vs.low HbA1c.
Methods: Patients were approached at the Department for Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna; = 129 female adolescents (10 to 23 years, mean age 15.
Objectives: Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCDP) traits are commonly associated with eating disorders (EDs), with evidence demonstrating that these traits predispose and exacerbate the ED illness course. However, limited research has examined the symptomatic interplay between ED and OCDP traits. We used network analysis to (1) identify the most central symptoms in a network comprised of OCPD traits retrospectively assessed in childhood and ED symptoms and (2) to identify symptoms which bridged OCPD traits and ED symptoms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnorexia nervosa (AN) is a highly debilitating mental illness with multifactorial etiology. It oftentimes begins in adolescence, therefore understanding the pathophysiology in this period is important. Few studies investigated the possible impact of the acute state of illness on white matter (WM) tissue properties in the developing adolescent brain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur Eat Disord Rev
January 2022
Objective: Knowledge on gut-brain interaction might help to develop new therapies for patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), as severe starvation-induced changes of the microbiome (MI) do not normalise with weight gain. We examine the effects of probiotics supplementation on the gut MI in patients with AN.
Method: This is a study protocol for a two-centre double-blind randomized-controlled trial comparing the clinical efficacy of multistrain probiotic administration in addition to treatment-as-usual compared to placebo in 60 patients with AN (13-19 years).
Overweight and underweight adolescents have an increased risk of psychological problems and reduced quality of life. We used a network analysis approach on a variety of psychopathology and well-being variables to identify central factors in these populations. The network analysis was conducted on data of 344 overweight adolescents (>90th BMI-percentile) and 423 underweight adolescents (<10th BMI-percentile) drawn from a large community sample (10-19 years) including behavioral and emotional problems (Youth Self-Report), eating disorder risk (SCOFF) and well-being variables (KIDSCREEN).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study evaluated the short-term outcome of a multimodal inpatient treatment concept for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN). In this prospective observational study, a cohort of 126 female adolescents with AN (age range: 11-17, mean age: 14.83) was longitudinally followed from admission to discharge (average duration of stay: 77 days).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Schools are key settings for delivering mental illness prevention in adolescents. Data on stakeholders' attitudes and factors relevant for the implementation of Internet-based prevention programmes are scarce.
Methods: Stakeholders in the school setting from Austria and Spain were consulted.
Background: Students beginning university are at a heightened risk for developing mental health disorders. Online prevention and early intervention programmes targeting mental health have the potential to reduce this risk, however, previous research has shown uptake to be rather poor. Understanding university stakeholders' (e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSkills trainings for caregivers of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) have been proven to be effective in improving caregiver skills and reducing caregivers' psychopathology. The effects on patients, especially adolescents, are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a caregivers' skills training program (Supporting Carers of Children and Adolescents with Eating Disorders in Austria, SUCCEAT, workshop or online version) on adolescents with AN delivered as workshops (WS) or online (ONL).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCOVID-19-related restrictions may have a serious impact on patients with eating disorders. We conducted semistructured interviews with female adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) ( = 13, 13-18 years) currently receiving inpatient or outpatient treatment and their parents ( = 10). We asked for their experiences during COVID-19 confinement regarding everyday life, AN symptoms, and treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The treatment of anorexia nervosa (AN) is often challenging due to medical complications as well as high relapse and mortality rates. Studies about effective treatment options for people with AN are particularly scarce in the adolescent population. This paper is a study protocol for a multi-center cohort study assessing the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of a new, manualized treatment program, the "Maudsley Model of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adolescents and Young Adults" (MANTRa) compared to psychotherapeutic treatment as usual (TAU).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Young women with Turner syndrome (TS) are known to be at risk for loss to medical follow-up. Recent literature indicates that there are disparities regarding transition readiness between different chronic conditions. So far, studies in young women with TS investigating their transition readiness compared to youths with other chronic conditions with no or minor neurocognitive challenges have not been reported.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: University students are at a heightened risk of developing mental health disorders. Online interventions are becoming increasingly popular in this target group, both to prevent the development of mental health disorders and to treat existing ones. The PLUS (Personality and Living of University Students) programme is a web-based targeted prevention intervention which has been tested across two European countries.
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