Acceptance-Based Separated Family Treatment for Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa
Condition: Anorexia Nervosa; Subthreshold Anorexia Nervosa; Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Primary Restriction
MeSH terms: Anorexia; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Anorexia Nervosa
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The investigators are trying to learn the most effective way to treat an adolescent's eating
      disorder and how best to involve the parents or caregivers in this process.

      Typically, parents and their child are seen together in therapy. However, this can sometimes
      be difficult for both the parents and the adolescent. Both parents and adolescents have
      different concerns and are struggling with different aspects of the eating disorder.
      Therefore, the treatment in this study involves the parents in treatment, but does not have
      therapy sessions with the parents and child together.

      The purpose of this study is to develop this investigational type of treatment (separated
      family treatment), and see what works best for adolescents and their families.

      Participants meet with a therapist for 20 sessions over the course of 24 weeks. For the first
      16 weeks families separate therapy sessions weekly. For the last 8 weeks families meet with
      the therapist bi-weekly. These bi-weekly sessions are conjoint - that is, adolescents and
      parents will meet with the therapist together. This is to help parents and adolescents come
      together as a family to continue to aid the adolescent in the treatment of his/her eating
      disorder.

      The investigators hypothesize that adolescents who receive ASFT will demonstrate improvement
      in eating disorder symptoms and body-mass index, that caregivers who participate in ASFT will
      demonstrate decreased distress and caregiver burden, that increases in psychological
      acceptance will be seen for both adolescents and caregivers post-treatment, and that
      treatment will be viewed as both credible and acceptable to both caregiver and adolescent
    

Detailed description: 
      The purpose of this study is to develop and gather preliminary data on an acceptance-based
      behavioral treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) that is delivered in a
      separated family format. The treatment will combine a parent's skills curriculum that has
      demonstrated preliminary effectiveness in the treatment of AN, with a novel adolescent
      component based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT has been found to be useful
      in the treatment of an array of psychological difficulties, and may be particularly
      well-suited for the cognitive and behavioral avoidance and rigidity that characterizes
      individuals with AN and their caregivers.
    

Intervention name(s): Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; Parent Skills Training
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The stated goal of this intervention is to increase willingness to experience difficult thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations in order to engage in flexible action.; Skills Training for parents that provides psychoeducation for eating disorder and skills in behavior management, self-regulation, and emotion regulation.
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Anorexia Nervosa; Eating Disorder; Treatment; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; Separated Family Treatment