Subjective evaluation of outpatient treatment for adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa.

BACKGROUND: The current study investigates determinants of treatment evaluation by adolescent outpatients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and the accordance with their parents' and psychotherapists' evaluation. SAMPLING AND METHODS: The sample included 50 female adolescent outpatients (mean age: 16.9 ± 1.8) with AN (DSM-IV). They were randomly assigned to either cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) or dialectical-behavior therapy (DBT). Before (T1) and after treatment (T2) diagnostic interviews as well as self-report questionnaires were administered measuring eating disorder-specific and general psychopathology. The subjective evaluation of the therapy was assessed by a self-report questionnaire. Data on the evaluation of treatment of 42 parents were considered as well as treatment evaluations of the therapists for 48 patients. RESULTS: Our results revealed significant correlations of treatment satisfaction between parents and therapists, whereas patients and therapists as well as patients and parents did not agree in their treatment evaluation. The change in body mass index (BMI) was a significant predictor of the patients' treatment satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Adolescent patients displaying high severity of AN at the beginning of treatment put little emphasis on the importance of body weight even after treatment. Satisfaction ratings of this special group of patients could be heavily distorted and have to be interpreted carefully. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, randomized controlled trial.

Clinical characteristics of early onset anorexia nervosa.

The aim of the current paper is to evaluate clinical characteristics of 30 children with early onset anorexia nervosa (EO-AN; age = 12.2 ± 1.6 years) compared with 30 patients with adolescent onset AN (AO-AN; age = 15.9 ± 0.7 years) and 60 age-matched healthy controls. Statistical analyses included one-way analyses of variance with three planned comparisons and chi-square tests. Compared with AO-AN, EO-AN patients displayed more restrictive eating behaviour (p = 0.038), received more tube-feeding (p = 0.024), and had less problems with self-esteem (p < 0.001) and perfectionism (p = 0.001). EO-AN patients have similar eating disorder pathology (p = 0.183), body-image distortion (p = 0.060), and number of hospitalizations (p = 0.358) as AO-AN. Only a third of EO-AN patients suffer from low self-esteem. Overall, core AN pathology seems similar in EO-AN and AO-AN. However, EO-AN patients show differences in their pathological eating behaviour and the need for tube-feeding.

Follow-up Assessment of Cognitive Remediation Therapy in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) is a specialized treatment approach targeting cognitive weaknesses in anorexia nervosa (AN). Regarding follow-up effects of CRT, there are only few studies available; for adolescents, there are no data. METHODS: Forty-eight adolescents with AN were assigned to receive either CRT and treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone. Assessments were performed at baseline (n = 48) and compared with assessments at a 6-month follow-up (n = 33). Outcome measures were set-shifting, central coherence, eating disorder and general psychopathology. RESULTS: The completion rate was higher in CRT compared with TAU. There were no significant differences in neuropsychological and clinical variables. Changes in body mass index percentile showed a trend towards significance for CRT. Dropout analyses revealed no significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Results provide a first insight into follow-up-assessments of CRT in adolescent AN. More randomized controlled studies are needed to clarify the long-term effects of CRT. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Cognitive Flexibility in Juvenile Anorexia Nervosain Relation to Comorbid Symptoms of Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms and Duration of Illness.

OBJECTIVE: Whereas the evidence in adolescents is inconsistent, anorexia nervosa (AN) in adults is characterized by weak cognitive flexibility. This study investigates cognitive flexibility in adolescents with AN and its potential associations with symptoms of depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and duration of illness. METHODS: 69 patients and 63 age-matched healthy controls (HC) from 9 till 19 years of age were assessed using the Trail-Making Test (TMT) and self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: In hierarchical regression analyses, set-shifting ability did not differ between AN and HC, whereas AN patients reported significantly higher rates of depression symptoms and OCD symptoms. Age significantly predicted set-shifting in the total sample. Only among AN patients aged 14 years and older did set-shifting decline with increasing age. DISCUSSION: The presence of AN with depression or OCD symptoms or the duration of illness do not influence cognitive flexibility in children and adolescents. Early interventions may be helpful to prevent a decline in cognitive flexibility in adolescent AN with increasing age.

Psychiatric Disorders and Personality Styles in Mothers of Female Adolescent Patients with Eating Disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To provide further insight into the presently poorly understood role of familial psychopathology in the development of eating disorders (ED). METHOD: The present study assesses psychiatric and personality disorders listed on Axis I and II of the DSM-IV in 27 mothers of adolescent patients with anorexia (AN mothers) and 14 bulimia nervosa (BN mothers) as well as 22 mentally healthy girls (CG mothers) on a categorical level. Furthermore, we conducted a dimensional diagnostic regarding personality styles and personality traits. RESULTS: AN and BN mothers showed increased rates of Axis I disorders, especially affective, substance use, and anxiety disorders. Differences on Axis II did not reach statistical significance. However, BN mothers showed higher occurrences of paranoid, negativistic, and schizotypal personality styles compared to the other groups. BN mothers further showed higher occurrences than CG mothers of the personality traits excitability, aggressiveness, physical complaints, openness, and emotionality. AN mothers differed significantly from CG mothers on the scale demands. CONCLUSIONS: Increased occurrence of psychopathology on both categorical and dimensional levels in mothers of patients with AN and BN supports the assumption of a familial accumulation of psychopathology in ED. Longitudinal studies and genetic analyses should clarify a possible cause-effect relationship and interactions between familial dynamics and adolescent ED.

Cognitive performance in children with acute early-onset anorexia nervosa.

When anorexia nervosa (AN) occurs in children below the age of 14 years, it is referred to as early-onset AN (EO-AN). Over the last years, there has been an increased focus on the role of cognitive functioning in the development and maintenance of AN. Adults with AN show inefficiencies in cognitive functions such as flexibility and central coherence. Systematic neuropsychological examinations of patients with EO-AN are missing. Thirty children with EO-AN and 30 adolescents with AN, as well as 60 healthy controls (HC) underwent an extensive neuropsychological examination. ANOVAs with post hoc tests and explorative regression analyses were conducted. Patients with EO-AN (mean age = 2.17 ± 1.57 years) showed no significant differences in flexibility, inhibition, planning, central coherence, visuospatial short- and long-term memory or recognition in comparison to HC (mean age = 11.62 ± 1.29 years). Performance of adolescents with AN (mean age = 15.93 ± 0.70 years) was not significantly different compared to HC (mean age = 16.20 ± 1.26 years). Explorative regression analyses revealed a significant interaction of age and group for flexibility (adjusted R 2  = 0.30, F = 17.85, p = 0.013, η p2  = 0.32). Contrary to expectations, the current study could not confirm the presence of inefficient cognitive processing in children with EO-AN compared to HC. Nonetheless, the expected age-related improvement of flexibility might be disrupted in children and adolescents with AN. Longitudinal neuropsychological examinations are necessary to provide more information about the role of cognitive functioning in the development and maintenance of AN.

Cognitive Function in Adolescent Patients with Anorexia Nervosa and Unipolar Affective Disorders.

Studies have shown impairments in cognitive function among adult patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and affective disorders (AD). The association between cognitive dysfunctions, AN and AD as well as the specificity for these psychiatric diagnoses remains unclear. Therefore, we examined cognitive flexibility and processing speed in 47 female adolescent patients with AN, 21 female adolescent patients with unipolar affective disorders and 48 female healthy adolescents. All participants completed a neuropsychological test battery. There were no significant group differences regarding cognitive function, except for psychomotor processing speed with poorer performance in patients with AN. A further analysis revealed that all groups performed with the normal range, although patients with AN were over represented in the poorest performing quartile. We found no severe cognitive impairments in either patient group. Nevertheless, belonging to the AN group contributed significantly to poor performances in neuropsychological tasks. Therefore, we conclude that the risk for cognitive impairments is slightly higher for patients with AN.

Neuropsychological and Behavioural Short-Term Effects of Cognitive Remediation Therapy in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) aims to strengthen weak cognitive flexibility and central coherence in adult and adolescent anorexia nervosa (AN). Currently, there are no studies in adolescents with AN that control for learning effects because of re-testing while evaluating CRT. METHOD: Twenty in- and outpatients with AN aged 12 to 18 years received CRT. Assessment took place directly before and after the intervention. Performance was compared to 20 age-, gender-, IQ-, and test-retest interval matched healthy controls, which did not receive CRT. RESULTS: AN patients showed an improvement in flexibility on neuropsychological assessment directly after CRT, whereas HC did not improve over time. Self-report assessment of flexibility, as well as central coherence, did not show significant improvement after CRT. DISCUSSION: Results suggest that CRT may be beneficial for enhancing flexibility in adolescents with AN. However, randomized controlled studies are essential to determine the actual efficacy of this intervention.

[Feedback on Cognitive Remediation Therapy from Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa - A Qualitative Study]. / Therapiewahrnehmung der 'Cognitive Remediation Therapy' bei Jugendlichen mit Anorexia nervosa - Eine qualitative Analyse.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) is a relatively new therapy for patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). There is an increased demand to include the patient view during the evaluation of treatment programs. So far, there is no structured evaluation of the subjective view of adolescents with AN on CRT available. METHODS: 20 patients with AN between the ages of 12 and 18 years completed 10 CRT sessions. 19 patients (age: 15.6±1.3; BMI-percentile: 2.4±3.5) filled out a feedback questionnaire on their subjective CRT experience. The positive and negative aspects of CRT from a patient's perspective were inducted from the feedback material using the 'Qualitative content analysis' from Mayring, allowing the data to be summarized into different categories. The software program MAXQDA 11 was used for the data analysis. RESULTS: The final category system consisted of 6 general categories, which in turn were summarized into 4 main categories: "general therapy perception", "content specific therapy perception", "relationship to everyday life" and "relationship with CRT therapist". 10 patients described CRT (53%) as 'fun'. 12 patients (63%) noticed positive changes in their everyday lives, which they attributed to their participation in CRT. 4 patients (21%) were not able to notice any changes in their everyday lives. 3 patients (16%) valued the good atmosphere during the CRT sessions and 6 patients (32%) found CRT to be a welcome distraction from their daily lives on the ward. 5 patients (26%) mentioned that CRT was too demanding and that difficulties arose during their reflection on thinking styles. DISCUSSION: Overall, CRT is evaluated positively by adolescent patients with AN. A small number of patients reports difficulties with CRT and experiences CRT as strenuous. This positive evaluation of CRT is in line with results from the few qualitative studies in adults with AN. Due to a potential social desirability bias, the patient's perspective should be interpreted with slight caution. CONCLUSION: CRT is received well by adolescents with AN and poses an interesting, new therapy module in the eating disorder field.

Day-patient treatment after short inpatient care versus continued inpatient treatment in adolescents with anorexia nervosa (ANDI): a multicentre, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial.

BACKGROUND: In-patient treatment (IP) is the treatment setting of choice for moderately-to-severely ill adolescents with anorexia nervosa, but it is costly, and the risks of relapse and readmissions are high. Day patient treatment (DP) is less expensive and might avoid problems of relapse and readmission by easing the transition from hospital to home. We investigated the safety and efficacy of DP after short inpatient care compared with continued IP. METHODS: For this multicentre, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial, we enrolled female patients (aged 11-18 years) with anorexia nervosa from six centres in Germany. Patients were eligible if they had a body-mass index (BMI) below the tenth percentile and it was their first admission to hospital for anorexia nervosa. We used a computer-generated randomisation sequence to randomly assign patients to continued IP or DP after 3 weeks of inpatient care (1:1; stratified for age and BMI at admission). The treatment programme and treatment intensity in both study groups were identical. The primary outcome was the increase in BMI between the time of admission and a 12-month follow-up adjusted for age and duration of illness (non-inferiority margin of 0·75 kg/m(2)). Analysis was done by modified intention to treat. This trial is registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register, number ISRCTN67783402, and the Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien, number DRKS00000101. FINDINGS: Between Feb 2, 2007, to April 27, 2010, we screened 660 patients for eligibility, 172 of whom we randomly allocated to treatment: 85 to IP and 87 to DP. DP was non-inferior to IP with respect to the primary outcome, BMI at the 12-month follow-up (mean difference 0·46 kg/m(2) in favour of DP (95% CI, -0·11 to 1·02; pnon-inferiority<0·0001). The number of treatment-related serious adverse events was similar in both study groups (eight in the IP group, seven in the DP group). Three serious adverse events in the IP group and two in the DP group were related to suicidal ideation; one patient in the DP attempted suicide 3 months after she was discharged. INTERPRETATION: DP after short inpatient care in adolescent patients with non-chronic anorexia nervosa seems no less effective than IP for weight restoration and maintenance during the first year after admission. Thus, DP might be a safe and less costly alternative to IP. Our results justify the broad implementation of this approach. FUNDING: German Ministry for Education and Research.

Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis presenting as atypical anorexia nervosa: an adolescent case report.

Since 2007, more than 600 patients have been diagnosed with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis, with almost 40 % of those affected being children or adolescents. In early phases of the illness, this life-threatening disease is characterized by psychiatric symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, obsessions, hallucinations or delusions. Consequently, a high percentage of patients receive psychiatric diagnoses at first, hindering the crucial early diagnosis and treatment of the anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. We report on a 15-year-old girl initially presenting with pathological eating behaviour and significant weight loss resulting in an (atypical) anorexia nervosa (AN) diagnosis. Her early course of illness, diagnostic process, treatment and short-term outcome are described. This case report aims to raise awareness about the association between anorectic behaviour and anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis and highlight the importance of multidisciplinary teams in child and adolescent services.

The relationship between premorbid body weight and weight at referral, at discharge and at 1-year follow-up in anorexia nervosa.

Body mass index (BMI) is one of the most important outcome predictors in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). A low premorbid BMI percentile calculated by the patients recalled premorbid weight and the height at first admission has been found to predict the BMI at first inpatient admission. In this study, we sought to confirm this relationship. We additionally analyze the relationship between premorbid BMI percentile and BMI percentile at discharge from the first inpatient treatment and at 1-year follow-up or alternatively if applicable upon readmission within this time period. We included 161 female patients aged 11-18 years of the multisite ANDI-trial with a DSM-IV diagnosis of AN. We used a multivariate statistical model including the independent variables age, duration of illness, duration of treatment, BMI at admission and BMI percentile at discharge. The relationship between premorbid BMI percentile and BMI at admission was solidly confirmed. In addition to premorbid BMI percentile, BMI at admission and age were significant predictors of BMI percentile at discharge. BMI percentile at discharge significantly predicted BMI percentile at 1-year follow-up. An additional analysis that merely included variables available upon referral revealed that premorbid BMI percentile predicts the 1-year follow-up BMI percentile. Further studies are required to identify the underlying biological mechanisms and to address the respective treatment strategies for AN patients with a low or high premorbid BMI percentile.

Cognitive Remediation Therapy for Children with Anorexia Nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence-based treatment programs for children with anorexia nervosa (AN) are scarce, while their prognosis is negative and the incidence rate rises. A new therapeutic approach recently received positive attention: cognitive remediation therapy (CRT). This intervention targets inflexibility and the inability to perceive the bigger picture in persons with AN. So far, studies and case reports have focused on either adolescent or adult patients and less on young children with AN. This case report therefore describes and evaluates the implementation of CRT with a child with AN. METHOD: A 12-year-old girl with severe chronic AN was treated with 10 sessions of CRT. Her clinical and neuropsychological evaluations before, directly after and 7 months after CRT are reported. Additionally, the patient's written and verbal feedbacks are reviewed. RESULTS: At the 7-month follow-up the patient showed a stable healthy weight and reported a reduced presence of psychopathology. Her neuropsychological performance directly after CRT and after 7 months did not improve. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical evaluation of our case report suggests that CRT may be a promising add-on therapy in the clinical treatment of young girls with AN.

[A pilot study on the specificity of body image disturbance in anorexia nervosa]. / Eine Pilotstudie zur Spezifität der Körperbildstörung für Anorexia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: Body image disturbance (BID) is a central feature of anorexia nervosa (AN), but evidence for bodily-related disorders also exists for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), who are frequently underweight. A comparison of BID in patients with AN, CF and controls serves to clarify the specificity of BID for AN. METHOD: 22 patients with AN, 10 patients with CF, and 23 controls were tested with regard to perceptual and cognitive-affective components of BID. Further data concerning eating-disorder-related psychopathology were assessed. RESULTS: BID occurred in all patients with AN. Patients with CF perceived themselves as thinner than the controls did, and three of them exhibited BID. Patients with AN and CF did not differ regarding body satisfaction, and only controls showed higher satisfaction than patients with CF. Patients with AN and CF differed on desire for thinness, dissatisfaction with their body, and interoceptive awareness, with higher scores occurring in patients with AN. CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot study reveals no severe psychopathology concerning body image in patients with CF. However, we did observe a general body dissatisfaction among these patients, probably associated with their being underweight. BID still seems to be a central diagnostic criterion for AN and should be carefully considered during therapeutic interventions.

Predictors of the resumption of menses in adolescent anorexia nervosa.

BACKGROUND: The resumption of menses is an important indicator of recovery in anorexia nervosa (AN). Patients with early-onset AN are at particularly great risk of suffering from the long-term physical and psychological consequences of persistent gonadal dysfunction. However, the clinical variables that predict the recovery of menstrual function during weight gain in AN remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of several clinical parameters on the resumption of menses in first-onset adolescent AN in a large, well-characterized, homogenous sample that was followed-up for 12 months. METHODS: A total of 172 female adolescent patients with first-onset AN according to DSM-IV criteria were recruited for inclusion in a randomized, multi-center, German clinical trial. Menstrual status and clinical variables (i.e., premorbid body mass index (BMI), age at onset, duration of illness, duration of hospital treatment, achievement of target weight at discharge, and BMI) were assessed at the time of admission to or discharge from hospital treatment and at a 12-month follow-up. Based on German reference data, we calculated the percentage of expected body weight (%EBW), BMI percentile, and BMI standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) for all time points to investigate the relationship between different weight measurements and resumption of menses. RESULTS: Forty-seven percent of the patients spontaneously began menstruating during the follow-up period. %EBW at the 12-month follow-up was strongly correlated with the resumption of menses. The absence of menarche before admission, a higher premorbid BMI, discharge below target weight, and a longer duration of hospital treatment were the most relevant prognostic factors for continued amenorrhea. CONCLUSIONS: The recovery of menstrual function in adolescent patients with AN should be a major treatment goal to prevent severe long-term physical and psychological sequelae. Patients with premenarchal onset of AN are at particular risk for protracted amenorrhea despite weight rehabilitation. Reaching and maintaining a target weight between the 15th and 20th BMI percentile is favorable for the resumption of menses within 12 months. Whether patients with a higher premorbid BMI may benefit from a higher target weight needs to be investigated in further studies.

Body mass index in adolescent anorexia nervosa patients in relation to age, time point and site of admission.

Body mass index (BMI) at admission is an important predictor of outcome in adolescent eating disorders. However, few studies have investigated BMI at admission, its changes in recent years, or modifying factors, such as duration of illness and age at onset in different geographical regions. Thus, this study aimed to investigate changes in BMI at admission over the past decade in one clinic, the differences in BMI between various treatment sites and the influence of duration of illness before admission and age at admission. Our sample consisted of 158 adolescent female patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) admitted between 2001 and 2009 to a major university hospital and 169 adolescent female patients recruited in a multicenter study between 2007 and 2010. We assessed the differences between departments in different regions of Germany in the multi-site sample. Changes over time in age-adjusted BMI and age at admission as well as modifying factors for age-adjusted BMI at admission, such as age at admission and duration of illness, were assessed in a representative local sample. There were no significant differences between departments in different regions of Germany. Over the course of the local study, there was a small but significant increase in the age-adjusted BMI score and absolute BMI at admission. In addition, there was a positive association between year of admission and age at admission. Older adolescents with AN had a lower age-adjusted BMI score and a longer duration of illness at the time of admission. The BMI at admission, which is one of the most important predictors of outcome in AN, has increased slightly during the past 10 years. Education strategies for parents and professionals should continue to be improved to further shorten the duration of illness before admission, especially for older adolescents.

[Childhood abuse in adolescents with anorexia nervosa compared to a psychiatric and healthy control group]. / Traumatische Kindheitserlebnisse bei Jugendlichen mit Anorexia nervosa im Vergleich zu einer psychiatrischen und einer gesunden Kontrollgruppe.

OBJECTIVES: Some studies suggest that both early sexual and early physical abuse are non-specific risk factors for the later development of eating disorders (EDs). However, only little is known about the role of emotional abuse in EDs. METHODS: The sample included 77 inpatients with Anorexia nervosa (AN-R: n = 50; AN-BP: n = 27), 26 psychiatric control participants and 44 healthy control participants, all of whom were females. The diagnosis of AN and the diagnosis of psychiatric control participants were confirmed by structured interviews (SIAB-EX, Fichter & Quadflieg, 1999; CIDI-DIA-X,Wittchen & Pfister, 1997). Childhood traumatization was assessed by a self-report questionnaire [Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) German Version, Krischer & Sevecke, 2011]. RESULTS: The results indicated there were higher rates of sexual and physical abuse as well as physical and emotional neglect in patients with AN-BP than in patients with AN-R and in healthy control participants, with no significant differences between patients with AN-R and control participants. Furthermore, patients with AN-BP had significantly higher rates on the CTQ subscale "emotional abuse" than patients with AN-R, psychiatric control participants and healthy control participants. CONCLUSIONS: Future studies should investigate whether emotional abuse is specific to adolescents with AN-BP compared to adolescents with other psychiatric disorders.

[An international neuropsychological assessment tool for children, adolescents, and adults with anorexia nervosa ­ the German adaptation of the Ravello Profile]. / Eine internationale neuropsychologische Testbatterie für Kinder, Jugendliche und Erwachsene mit Anorexia nervosa - die deutsche Adaptation des Ravello Profils

OBJECTIVE: Adults with anorexia nervosa (AN) show weaknesses in several cognitive functions before and after weight restoration. There is a great demand for standardized examinations of executive functioning in the field of child and adolescent AN. Previous studies exhibited methodological inconsistencies regarding test selection and operationalization of cognitive functions, making the interpretation of their findings difficult. In order to overcome these inconsistencies, a neuropsychological assessment tool, the "Ravello Profile," was developed, though previously not available in German. This paper presents a German adaptation of the Ravello Profile and illustrates its applicability in children and adolescents via three case descriptions. METHODS: The Ravello Profile was adapted for the German-speaking area. The applicability of the Ravello Profile was evaluated in three children and adolescents with AN. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The cases presented confirm the feasible implementation of this adaptation of the Ravello Profile, both in children and adolescents. Hence, it enables a methodologically consistent examination of executive functioning in German-speaking children, adolescents, and adults with AN. Using the Ravello Profile, the role of cognitive functions in the development of AN can be systematically examined over a broad age range.

[Systematics of somatoform disorders in children and adolescents]. / Systematik somatoformer Störungen des Kindes- und Jugendalters.

Somatoform disorders in children and adolescents are common and can cause significantly reduced wellbeing and quality of life. Considerable subjective impairment leads to a high number of doctors' visits, which along with a reoccurrence of negative findings, often results in a sense of helplessness in the patient and a lack of trust towards the physician. The criteria for somatoform disorders are illustrated based on the classification scheme ICD-10 and in consideration of the DSM-V. Referring to Noeker (2008) the special role of the parents for the development of somatoform disorders is explained. The typical clinical profile of somatoform disorders in children and adolescents is described. As a diagnostic instrument the newly developed Screening for Somatoform Disorders in Children and Adolescents (SOMS-CA) (Winter, Pfeiffer, Köberle, Lenz, Lehmkuhl, 2008) is introduced. Furthermore it is demonstrated that patients with somatoform disorders are seen predominantly within consulting and liaison services of the paediatric clinic. The importance of interdisciplinary cooperation between paediatrics and child and adolescent psychiatry and -psychotherapy in early diagnosis and introduction of appropriate treatment is highlighted.

Etiological role of childhood emotional trauma and neglect in adolescent anorexia nervosa: a cross-sectional questionnaire analysis.

BACKGROUND: Most studies on the relationship between childhood trauma and anorexia nervosa (AN) have focused on the role of childhood sexual and physical trauma in adult patients. Little is known about the role of emotional trauma and eating disorders. The aim of the present study was to examine childhood sexual, physical, and emotional traumatization in adolescents with anorexia nervosa restricting type (AN-R) in comparison to those with anorexia nervosa binge-eating/purging type (AN-BP) and a healthy control group. SAMPLING AND METHODS: The sample included 50 patients with AN-R (mean age = 15.8 ± 1.6 years), 27 with AN-BP (mean age = 16.1 ± 1.1 years), and 44 healthy female control participants (mean age = 15.7 ± 1.3 years). AN diagnosis was confirmed by the Structured Inventory for Anorexic and Bulimic Syndromes (SIAB-EX). Childhood sexual, physical, and emotional traumatization was assessed by a self-report questionnaire (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire; CTQ). RESULTS: The results indicated higher rates of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and physical and emotional neglect in patients with AN-BP than in patients with AN-R and healthy control participants. No significant differences in childhood traumatization were found between patients with AN-R and control participants. CONCLUSIONS: Our results underline the importance of detecting the full range of possible childhood traumatic experiences in adolescents with AN, rather than focusing simply on childhood sexual traumatization. Sexual, physical, and emotional childhood traumatization are particularly important in the history of adolescent patients with AN-BP, in contrast to patients with AN-R, and should be screened for in the diagnosis and therapy of eating disorders.