This is the second phase (R33) of a two-phased project exploring the effect of adding Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) to traditional Family Based Treatment (FBT) for adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and their families. This phase (R33) follows a prior 2-year study (R61) which examined the impact of CRT on set-shifting abilities (a type of executive functioning often referred to as cognitive flexibility). This second phase aims to replicate findings from the first study as well as examine whether the addition of CRT to traditional FBT will impact treatment outcomes (e.g., eating disorder symptoms, weight outcomes). CRT is an adjunctive treatment approach where adolescents learn different ways of thinking and problem solving to become more flexible thinkers. The investigators will recruit and randomly assign 96 families of youth with AN to either an FBT group or FBT with adolescent-focused CRT group. Parents and adolescents will complete questionnaires and assessments to evaluate outcomes and predictors of outcome. Evidence supporting FBT+CRT to increase set-shifting in adolescents will inform future efforts to leverage understanding of neurobiology of AN in adolescents to improve outcome. Results will also inform how best to augment current treatments, support parents, and increase positive outcomes for adolescents with AN, and reduce relapse.
Anorexia Nervosa is a serious life-threatening illness with a typical age of onset in adolescence; if not effectively treated, it has the potential to significantly impact adolescent development and quality of life. Research on executive functioning in anorexia nervosa indicates that it may be a viable target for intervention that could improve outcome. The current project focuses on determining whether or not the investigators can improve set-shifting in affected adolescents in the hopes that improvements in set-shifting will, ultimately, improve outcome.