Optimistic vs Pessimistic Message Framing in Communicating Prognosis to Parents of Very Preterm Infants: The COPE Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: In the neonatal intensive care unit, there is a lack of understanding about how best to communicate the prognosis of a serious complication to parents. Objective: To examine parental preferences and the effects of optimistic vs pessimistic message framing when providing prognostic information about a serious complication. Design, Setting, and Participants: This crossover randomized clinical trial was conducted at a single German university medical center between June and October 2021. Eligible participants were parents of surviving preterm infants with a birth weight under 1500 g. Data were analyzed between October 2021 and August 2022. Interventions: Alternating exposure to 2 scripted video vignettes showing a standardized conversation between a neonatologist and parents, portrayed by professional actors, about the prognosis of a hypothetical very preterm infant with severe intraventricular hemorrhage. The video vignettes differed in the framing of identical numerical outcome estimates as either probability of survival and probability of nonimpairment (optimistic framing) or a risk of death and impaired survival (pessimistic framing). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was preference odds (ratio of preference for optimistic vs pessimistic framing). Secondary outcomes included state anxiety, perceptions of communication, and recall of numerical estimates. Results: Of 220 enrolled parents (142 [64.5%] mothers; mean [SD] age: mothers, 39.1 [5.6] years; fathers, 42.7 [6.9] years), 196 (89.1%) preferred optimistic and 24 (10.1%) preferred pessimistic framing (preference odds, 11.0; 95% CI, 6.28-19.10; P < .001). Preference for optimistic framing was more pronounced when presented second than when presented first (preference odds, 5.41; 95% CI, 1.77-16.48; P = .003). State anxiety scores were similar in both groups at baseline (mean difference, -0.34; -1.18 to 0.49; P = .42) and increased equally after the first video (mean difference, -0.55; 95% CI, -1.79 to 0.69; P = .39). After the second video, state anxiety scores decreased when optimistic framing followed pessimistic framing but remained unchanged when pessimistic framing followed optimistic framing (mean difference, 2.15; 95% CI, 0.91 to 3.39; P < .001). With optimistic framing, participants recalled numerical estimates more accurately for survival (odds ratio, 4.00; 95% CI, 1.64-9.79; P = .002) but not for impairment (odds ratio, 1.50; 95% CI, 0.85-2.63; P = .16). Conclusions and Relevance: When given prognostic information about a serious complication, parents of very preterm infants may prefer optimistic framing. Optimistic framing may lead to more realistic expectations for survival, but not for impairment. Trial Registration: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS): DRKS00024466.

Teachers reported that children with special health care needs displayed more attention problems.

AIM: Children with special health care needs (SHCN) perform more poorly at school compared to their classmates. Specific causal pathways have not yet been extensively studied. Therefore, we investigated teacher-rated global attention, an important prerequisite for educational attainment, in children with SHCN. METHODS: Data of a population-based prospective cohort study, which recruited preschool children from the Mainz-Bingen area, Germany, were analysed. Children with SHCN were identified by the Children with Special Health Care Needs screening tool. In 2016, global attention was reported by teachers at the end of first grade (mean age: 7.3 years) on a 5-point rating scale ranging from -2 through +2. Associations between SHCN consequences and teacher-rated attention were estimated by linear mixed models, adjusted for confounding variables. RESULTS: We included 1921 children (51% males); of these, 14% had SHCN. Compared to their classmates, children with SHCN had poorer teacher-rated attention scores (adjusted mean difference: -0.35, 95% CI: -0.52 to -0.17). The effect was strongest among children with treatment or counselling for mental health problems or functional limitations. The effect remained after excluding children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder from the analysis. CONCLUSION: Children with SHCN showed more teacher-rated attention problems, which could explain their lower educational attainment.

Modified cue exposure for adolescents with binge eating behaviour: study protocol of a randomised pilot trial called EXI(ea)T.

INTRODUCTION: Binge eating (BE) behaviour is highly prevalent in adolescents, and can result in serious metabolic derangements and overweight in the long term. Weakened functioning of the behavioural inhibition system is one potential pathway leading to BE. Food cue exposure focusing on expectancy violation (CEEV) is a short intervention for BE that has proven effective in adults but has never been tested in adolescents. Thus, the current randomised pilot trial evaluates the feasibility of CEEV for adolescents and its efficacy in reducing eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) of binge food items. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The trial will include N=76 female adolescents aged between 13 and 20 years with a diagnosis of bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder (BED) or their subthreshold forms based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Participants will be randomly assigned to two sessions of CEEV or behavioural analysis (BA), a classical cognitive-behavioural therapy-based intervention. The primary endpoint is the change in EAH measured according to ad libitum consumption of personally preferred binge food in a bogus taste test at post-test based on the intention-to-treat population. Key secondary endpoints are changes in EAH of standardised binge food at post-test, in EAH at 3-month follow-up (FU) and in food craving after induction of food cue reactivity at post-test and FU. To identify further valid outcome parameters, we will assess effects of CEEV compared with BA on global ED psychopathology, BE frequency within the last 28 days, body weight, response inhibition and emotion regulation abilities. Treatment groups will be compared using analysis of covariance with intervention as fixed factor and body mass index at baseline as covariate. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This clinical trial has been approved by the Ethics Review Committee of the Medical Association of Rhineland-Palatinate and the Medical Faculty of the Ruhr-University Bochum. The collected data will be disseminated locally and internationally through publications in relevant peer-reviewed journals and will be presented at scientific and clinical conferences. Participants data will only be published in an anonymised form. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00024009.

The COPE-Trial-Communicating prognosis to parents in the neonatal ICU: Optimistic vs. PEssimistic: study protocol for a randomized controlled crossover trial using two different scripted video vignettes to explore communication preferences of parents of preterm infants.

BACKGROUND: One of the numerous challenges preterm birth poses for parents and physicians is prognostic disclosure. Prognoses are based on scientific evidence and medical experience. They are subject to individual assessment and will generally remain uncertain with regard to the individual. This can result in differences in prognostic framing and thus affect the recipients' perception. In neonatology, data on the effects of prognostic framing are scarce. In particular, it is unclear whether parents prefer a more optimistic or a more pessimistic prognostic framing. OBJECTIVE: To explore parents' preferences concerning prognostic framing and its effects on parent-reported outcomes and experiences. To identify predictors (demographic, psychological) of parents' communication preferences. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: Unblinded, randomized controlled crossover trial (RCT) at the Division of Neonatology of the University Medical Center Mainz, Germany, including German-speaking parents or guardians of infants born preterm between 2010 and 2019 with a birth weight < 1500 g. Inclusion of up to 204 families is planned, with possible revision according to a blinded sample size reassessment. INTERVENTION: Embedded in an online survey and in pre-specified order, participants will watch two video vignettes depicting a more optimistic vs. a more pessimistic framing in prognostic disclosure to parents of a preterm infant. Apart from prognostic framing, all other aspects of physician-parent communication are standardized in both videos. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: At baseline and after each video, participants complete a two-part online questionnaire (baseline and post-intervention). Primary outcome is the preference for either a more optimistic or a more pessimistic prognostic framing. Secondary outcomes include changes in state-anxiety (STAI-SKD), satisfaction with prognostic framing, evaluation of prognosis, future optimism and hope, preparedness for shared decision-making (each assessed using customized questions), and general impression (customized question), professionalism (adapted from GMC Patient Questionnaire) and compassion (Physician Compassion Questionnaire) of the consulting physician. DISCUSSION: This RCT will explore parents' preferences concerning prognostic framing and its effects on physician-parent communication. Results may contribute to a better understanding of parental needs in prognostic disclosure and will be instrumental for a broad audience of clinicians, scientists, and ethicists. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00024466 . Registered on April 16, 2021.

Emotion regulation in adolescents with anorexia and bulimia nervosa: Differential use of adaptive and maladaptive strategies compared to healthy adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Adolescents with anorexia (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) often struggle with emotion regulation (ER). These difficulties have predominantly been assessed across emotions, without considering adaptive and maladaptive ER separately. We compared adolescents with AN or BN to healthy adolescents (HCs) regarding the adaptive and maladaptive ER of three emotions. METHOD: A treatment-seeking sample of 197 adolescents (atypical/full-threshold AN: N = 118, atypical/full-threshold BN: N = 32; HC: N = 47) reported emotion-specific ER with the FEEL-KJ questionnaire. Mixed models were calculated for adaptive and maladaptive ER to assess differences between emotions (anxiety, anger, and sadness) and groups (AN, BN, and HC). RESULTS: Main effects of emotion (p < .001) and group (p < .001) were found, but no interaction effects were found (p > .05). Post hoc tests showed lower maladaptive and higher adaptive ER for anxiety than anger or sadness (p < .001). AN and BN reported lower adaptive (p < .001) and higher maladaptive ER than HCs (p < .001). BN showed the highest levels of maladaptive ER (p = .009). DISCUSSION: The differences between AN and BN in adaptive and maladaptive ER should be considered. Furthermore, investigating differences in ER of other emotions in eating disorders might be promising.

Prevention of eating disorders-Efficacy and cost-benefit of a school-based program ("MaiStep") in a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

OBJECTIVE: Given the severity of eating disorders, effective and easily implementable prevention programs which reduce incidence rates and in addition have health-economic benefits are essential. The majority of research on prevention programs focuses on questionnaire-based efficacy or the reduction of eating disorder symptoms while neglecting the health-economic perspective. By contrast, the present study focuses on both an efficacy analysis considering diagnostic criteria (DSM-5) and on evaluating the cost-benefit of a universal prevention program for eating disorders ("MaiStep"). METHOD: A three-arm randomized controlled trial with baseline, posttreatment and 12-month follow-up was conducted with 1,654 adolescents (M = 13.35, SD = 0.76), comprising two intervention groups (MaiStep delivered by psychologists or teachers, IG-T) and an active control group (ACG). The primary outcome was DSM-5 eating disorder diagnosis measured with the SIAB-S. Furthermore, the costs of the prevention program and the savings in health care costs were calculated. RESULTS: A significant difference in eating disorder diagnosis was found between the IG-T and the ACG for posttreatment (χ2 (1= 7.352, p = .007), Relative Risk (RR) = .53 and 12-month follow-up (χ2 (1= 5.203, p = .023), RR = .61. MaiStep proved to be cost-effective (tcbr  = 6.75), saving about 560,000 € (standardized per 1,000 students = 601,388.19 €). DISCUSSION: Universal prevention can both reduce incidence rates of eating disorders and be cost-beneficial for health care systems. Future research should analyze prevention programs regarding efficacy and cost-benefit to enable comparability and derive guidelines for political decision-makers. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: MaiStep is registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00005050).

Mental images, entrapment and affect in young adults meeting criteria of nonsuicidal self-injury disorder (NSSID) - a daily diary study.

BACKGROUND: Incidents of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) are often accompanied by mental images which could be perceived as distressing and/or soothing; yet existing data is derived from participants with a history of NSSI using retrospective methods. This study investigated mental images related to NSSI ("NSSI-images"), and their relationship to the proposed Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder (NSSID). METHODS: An e-mail was sent to all female students of the local University providing the link to an online screening and 201 students with a history of repetitive NSSI responded. Nineteen eligible participants meeting criteria of NSSID (mean age = 25; 32% with migrant background) further completed a baseline interview and a ten-day-diary protocol. RESULTS: Among the sample of N = 201, 83.6% reported NSSI-images. In the subsample of n = 19 diagnosed with NSSID, the frequencies of NSSI and NSSI-images were correlated; about 80% of the most significant NSSI-images were either of NSSI or of an instrument associated with NSSI (i.e., a razorblade). In the diary, 53% of the sample self-injured. NSSI-images were reported on 94% of NSSI-days, and on days with NSSI and NSSI-images, the images almost always occurred first; the images were overall perceived as twice more distressing than comforting. Images on NSSI-days were characterized by more comfort, intrusiveness and compellingness yet less vividness, and increased subsequent positive and negative affect compared to non-NSSI days. NSSI-days were further marked by increased entrapment beliefs and increased negative yet decreased positive affect at night. These results were non-significant. LIMITATIONS: Due to non-significant results among a small sample size and a low rate of NSSI among the NSSID-group, results remain preliminary. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides information on feasibility and methodological challenges such as intervention effects of the diary. NSSI-images may be common among individuals who engage in NSSI; they may capture ambivalent (positive and negative) appraisals of NSSI and thus play a role in NSSI and possibly a disorder such as NSSID. The preoccupation with NSSI (Criterion C of NSSID in DSM-5) may as well be imagery-based. REGISTRATION: The study was retrospectively registered with the DRKS under the number DRKS00011854.

The Spanish Body Image State Scale: Factor Structure, Reliability and Validity in a Colombian Population.

OBJECTIVE: Body image is a construct highly dependent on culture and ethnicity. Furthermore, recent studies reveal that body image is not only a trait, but also a momentary state subject to change in diverse situational contexts. However, cultural influences on momentary body image have not been sufficiently investigated. To assess the influence of Latin American culture on momentary body image and to enable its comparison to Western countries, the Spanish translation of an existing state body image scale such as the Body Image States Scale (BISS) is needed. In addition, the factor structure, reliability and general validity of the Spanish BISS (S-BISS) should be evaluated prior to its application in diverse situational contexts. METHOD: We conducted a cross-sectional study evaluating 1137 individuals between the ages of 18 and 28 years from Barranquilla, Colombia, South America. The original BISS, which assesses body satisfaction, was translated from English to Spanish. Factorial structure, scale score reliability and convergent/divergent validity were assessed. RESULTS: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed that a one-factor model with correlated items best described the factorial structure present in the BISS questionnaire. The coefficient of scale score reliability was α = 0.92 (McDonalds ω = 0.93), with similar results for men and women. Significant differences between males and females were found with lesser body satisfaction in females (W = 163260, p = 0.016). Lower S-BISS scores indicating less body satisfaction were associated with higher BMI (r = -0.287, p < 0.001) and obtained in participants who were currently on a diet (t 1135 = -3.98, p < 0.001). The S-BISS was negatively correlated with a trait body image measurement assessing body dissatisfaction (Body Shape Questionnaire, r = -0.577, p < 0.001) and a psychopathology questionnaire (Brief Symptom Inventory 53, r = -0.331, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The S-BISS is a valid and reliable instrument to assess body image in the Colombian population, and exhibits similar psychometric properties to those of the original version. Future studies should examine whether the S-BISS captures change in state body image when applied in diverse situational contexts.

Treating eating disorders in the real world - MaiStep: A skill-based universal prevention for schools.

Eating disorders are difficult to treat and often associated with morbidity and mortality. Universal prevention approaches are increasingly focusing on enhancing skills, but few eating disorder programs are available for under-15-year-olds. This study aimed to develop and examine a school-based universal prevention program ('MaiStep') for adolescent boys and girls. A three-arm randomized controlled trial with baseline, post-intervention and 12-month follow-up was conducted with 1654 adolescents (M = 13.35, SD 0.76). 'MaiStep' was delivered by psychologists in the first intervention group (IG1) and teachers in the second intervention group (IG2), and compared to an active control group (ACG). Primary outcomes were eating disorder-related risk factors measured with scales of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (e.g. 'drive for thinness', 'interoceptive awareness'), cognitions and affect related to the body (Body Shape Questionnaire, BSQ-8), and behaviors (Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire, BIAQ). The total sample (N1) was divided into a healthy subsample (N2) and a sample fulfilling DSM-5 criteria for a subthreshold eating disorder (N3) measured with the self-report Structured Inventory for Anorexic and Bulimic Syndromes (SIAB-S). Significant improvements in 'interoceptive awareness' (EDI-2) and lower BIAQ scores emerged in N1 at post-intervention and at 12-month follow-up (F(4; 3038) = 3.068, p = .016, ηpart2 = 0.004 and F(4; 2900) = 2.993, p = .018, ηpart2 = 0.004) and in N2 at post-intervention and at 12-month follow-up (F(4; 2812) = 3.147, p = .014, ηpart2 = 0.004 and F(4; 2684) = 3.674, p = .005, ηpart2 = 0.005). The healthy subsample N2 additionally showed significantly lower scores on 'drive for thinness' (EDI-2) and on the BSQ-8c at post-intervention (F(2; 1446) = 3.091, p = .046, ηpart2 = 0.004 and F(2; 1453) = 3.505, p = .030, ηpart2 = 0.005) but not at 12-month follow-up. No significant results emerged for N3. The positive findings of improved 'interoceptive awareness' (EDI-2) and reduced body image avoidance (BIAQ) indicate that broad disseminated universal prevention under the age of 15 is possible. Trial registration MaiStep is registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00005050).

Mindfulness-based and cognitive-based stress prevention in student teachers (startklar): study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Teachers and student teachers in Germany are a high-risk population for stress and stress-related mental health problems. This often leads to early retirement in subsequent professional life. Various trials have demonstrated positive effects of stress prevention training on the perceived stress and stress-related symptoms of teachers. Although many studies show positive effects of mindfulness-based stress interventions, there is not yet any mindfulness-based intervention for teachers or student teachers in Germany. The aim of this trial is to evaluate a training that combines mindfulness-based and cognitive interventions into one programme, addressing to the specific burdens of student teachers. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study protocol presents a prospective block-randomised controlled trial. Assessment will take place at three time points (baseline, post-intervention, 3-month follow-up) for an intervention and waiting control group, and at a fourth assessment point for the waiting control group after receiving the training. The aim is to evaluate the effects of mindfulness-based stress prevention on stress, psychological morbidity, burnout and self-efficacy using validated measures. Participants are student teachers from German teacher training colleges and participation will be voluntary. The targeted total sample size is 96 at 3-month follow-up. The training will comprise three 4-hour sessions conducted every 2 weeks. The control group will participate in the training after the 3-month follow-up. The allotment will be randomised with a stratified allocation ratio by gender. After descriptive statistics have been evaluated, inferential statistical analysis will be conducted using repeated measures analysis of variance with interactions between time and group. Effect sizes will be calculated using partial η2 values. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Results will be disseminated at conferences, in specialist magazines and through peer-reviewed publications. The trial has been approved by the ethics review board of the local medical association, Mainz, Germany, under the reference number 837.192.16 (10511). TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00010897.

Differential Change of Borderline Personality Disorder Traits During Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents.

Despite the expansion of treatment options for adults with borderline personality disorder (BPD), research on treatment options for adolescent BPD is scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents (DBT-A) on the individual trait level as primary outcome; and the frequency of suicide attempts and nonsuicidal self-injury, self-reported BPD core pathology, and general psychopathology as secondary outcomes. Seventy-two adolescents (aged 12-17 years) with full- or subsyndromal BPD were treated with DBT-A (25 single sessions, 20 sessions of skills training), and 13 patients (18.1%) withdrew during treatment. From baseline to post-treatment, the number of BPD traits decreased significantly (p ≤ .001). All secondary outcomes decreased significantly as well (p ≤ .001). Results of this uncontrolled study suggest that beside self-harm, DBT-A may also have a beneficial impact on other features of BPD.

[Facets of Body Image Disorder: A Differential Analysis of the TEK-KJ (Test for the Detection of Body Disorder in Children and Adolescents) for the Direct Measurement of Haptic-Perceptual Parts]. / Facetten der Körperbildstörung: eine differenzielle Analyse des TEK-KJ (Test zur Erfassung der Körperbildstörung bei Kindern und Jugendlichen) zur direkten Messung haptisch-perzeptiver Anteile.

There is presently a lack of instruments that measure the haptic-perceptive component of body-image distortion ­ a central criterion for the eating disorders anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. We present a differential analysis for the Test for Body Image Distortion in Children and Adolescents (BID-CA, German: TEK-KJ) using a large child and adolescents sample, including for the first time male participants. We analyze convergent validity with the Contour Drawing Rating Scale (CDRS) as well as differences between children and adolescents from different type of schools and different BMI percentile groups. The sample size was N = 1,654 pupils (873 females and 781 males) with an average age of 13.35 years (SD = 0.76). We calculated a substantial convergent validity with the CDRS. Significant differences between children and adolescents from different type of schools and different BMI percentile groups were detected, with increased values for children and adolescents attending high school and underweight participants. The TEK-KJ seems to be an appropriate additional instrument for detecting the haptic-perceptive component of body-image distortion. The normative data presented improves the standardization of this instrument.

Prevalence and severity of eating disorders: A comparison of DSM-IV and DSM-5 among German adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Changes in the DSM-5 eating disorders criteria sought to increase the clarity of the diagnostic categories and to decrease the preponderance of nonspecified eating disorders. The first objective of this study was to analyze how these revisions affect threshold and EDNOS/OSFED eating disorder diagnoses in terms of prevalence, sex ratios, and diagnostic distribution in a student sample. Second, we aimed to compare the impairment levels of participants with a threshold, an EDNOS/OSFED and no diagnosis using both DSM-IV and DSM-5. METHOD: A sample of 1654 7th and 8th grade students completed self-report questionnaires to determine diagnoses and impairment levels in the context of an eating disorder prevention program in nine German secondary schools. Height and weight were measured. RESULTS: The prevalence of threshold disorders increased from .48% (DSM-IV) to 1.15% (DSM-5). EDNOS disorders increased from 2.90 to 6.23% when using OSFED-categories. A higher proportion of girls was found throughout all the diagnostic categories, and the sex ratios remained stable. The effect sizes of DSM-5 group differences regarding impairment levels were equal to or larger than those of the DSM-IV comparisons, ranging from small to medium. DISCUSSION: We provide an in-depth overview of changes resulting from the revisions of DSM eating disorder criteria in a German adolescent sample. Despite the overall increase in prevalence estimates, the results suggest that the DSM-5 criteria differentiate participants with threshold disorders and OSFED from those no diagnosis as well as or even more distinctly than the DSM-IV criteria.

Smartphone-Enhanced Low-Threshold Intervention for adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa (SELTIAN) waiting for outpatient psychotherapy: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: As smartphones are widely distributed nowadays, mental health apps seem to be a promising treatment tool. First self-help apps for eating disorders have been developed recently. However, studies assessing the efficacy of such apps are scarce. A smartphone app could prevent further weight reduction and increase commitment during waiting time for outpatient treatment, especially for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN). In this study protocol, a randomised controlled trial to assess the efficacy of a smartphone-enhanced low-threshold intervention for AN during waiting time is described. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: 30 adolescents with AN aged 12-19 years will be recruited at three child and adolescent psychiatry centres in Germany. All participants will be randomised to consultations only or consultations and the use of the Jourvie Research app. The app will be installed either on their own smartphone or on a research device. The participants will receive biweekly to monthly consultations for 3 months to review meal plans and weight management with a clinician. In addition, the Jourvie Research app for meal, behaviour and emotion protocolling will be provided to the intervention group. The protocols will be discussed with a clinician during the consultations. Dialectical behaviour therapy-informed skills for tension regulation to increase compliance with the meal plan will be taught in the intervention group and the app will remind the participant of a skill in a moment of need. The primary outcome is the age-adjusted and height-adjusted weight gain in standard deviation score after 3 months. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Results will be disseminated at conferences and through peer-reviewed publications. The trial was approved by the ethics review board of the local medical association, Mainz, Germany, under the reference number 837.338.15. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: German clinical trials register, reference number DRKS00008946.

Momentary emotion identification in female adolescents with and without anorexia nervosa.

Individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) often report difficulties in identifying emotions, which have been mostly studied as an alexithymia trait. In a controlled two-day ecological momentary assessment, we studied the influence of time of day and aversive tension on self-reported momentary emotion identification. Analysis on an aggregated level revealed a significant lower mean emotion identification in the AN group. In a mixed model analysis, the AN group showed lower emotion identification than the control group (HC). Both a general and a group effect of time of day were found, indicating that emotion identification improved during the day in HC, whereas a negligible decrease of the emotion identification over time was observed in the AN group. Age was associated positively with emotion identification in general, but no specific effect on a group level was found. No effect of aversive tension was found. Our results indicate that an improvement during the day might be a natural process of emotion identification, which is hindered in AN. Future research should focus on temporal relations between emotion identification and disordered eating behavior to further evaluate the clinical relevance of emotion identification difficulties in AN.

Thinking dimensional: prevalence of DSM-5 early adolescent full syndrome, partial and subthreshold eating disorders in a cross-sectional survey in German schools.

OBJECTIVES: Investigating for the first time in Germany Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Fifth Edition (DSM-5) prevalences of adolescent full syndrome, Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED), partial and subthreshold anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED). METHOD: A national school-based cross-sectional survey with nine schools in Germany was undertaken that was aimed at students from grades 7 and 8. Of the 1775 students who were contacted to participate in the study, 1654 participated (participation rate: 93.2%). The sample consisted of 873 female and 781 male adolescents (mean age=13.4 years). Prevalence rates were established using direct symptom criteria with a structured inventory (SIAB-S) and an additional self-report questionnaire (Eating Disorder Inventory 2 (EDI-2)). RESULTS: Prevalences for full syndrome were 0.3% for AN, 0.4% for BN, 0.5% for BED and 3.6% for OSFED-atypical AN, 0% for BN (low frequency/limited duration), 0% for BED (low frequency/limited duration) and 1.9% for purging disorder (PD). Prevalences of partial syndrome were 10.9% for AN (7.1% established with cognitive symptoms only, excluding weight criteria), 0.2% for BN and 2.1% for BED, and of subthreshold syndrome were 0.8% for AN, 0.3% for BN and 0.2% for BED. Cases on EDI-2 scales were much more pronounced with 12.6-21.1% of the participants with significant sex differences. CONCLUSIONS: The findings were in accordance with corresponding international studies but were in contrast to other German studies showing much higher prevalence rates. The study provides, for the first time, estimates for DSM-5 prevalences of eating disorders in adolescents for Germany, and evidence in favour of using valid measures for improving prevalence estimates. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00005050; Results.

Aversive tension in female adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa: a controlled ecological momentary assessment using smartphones.

BACKGROUND: Current models of Anorexia Nervosa (AN) emphasize the role of emotion regulation. Aversive tension, described as a state of intense arousal and negative valence, is considered to be a link between emotional events and disordered eating. Recent research focused only on adult patients, and mainly general emotion regulation traits were studied. However, the momentary occurrence of aversive tension, particularly in adolescents with AN, has not been previously studied. METHOD: 20 female adolescents with AN in outpatient treatment and 20 healthy adolescents aged 12 to 19 years participated in an ecological momentary assessment using their smartphones. Current states of aversive tension and events were assessed hourly for two consecutive weekdays. Mean and maximum values of aversive tension were compared. Multilevel analyses were computed to test the influence of time and reported events on aversive tension. The effect of reported events on subsequent changes of aversive tension in patients with AN were additionally tested in a multilevel model. RESULTS: AN patients showed higher mean and maximum levels of aversive tension. In a multilevel model, reported food intake was associated with higher levels of aversive tension in the AN group, whereas reported school or sport-related events were not linked to specific states of aversive tension. After food intake, subsequent increases of aversive tension were diminished and decreases of aversive tension were induced in adolescents with AN. CONCLUSIONS: Aversive tension may play a substantial role in the psychopathology of AN, particular in relation with food intake. Therefore, treatment should consider aversive tension as a possible intervening variable during refeeding. Our findings encourage further research on aversive tension and its link to disordered eating. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German register of clinical trials (DRKS): DRKS00005228 (Date of registration: September 2, 2013).

Meeting report of the 2nd German dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents network meeting.

Over the past 30 years, dialectical behavior therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for adult borderline personality disorder. The adaptation of DBT for adolescents (DBT-A) in different patient groups has also led to some promising improvements of the respective psychopathology. During the second German DBT-A network meeting in 2015 in Mainz, Germany, a need for further research and innovative approaches in treatment of adolescents became apparent and resulted in controversial discussions. Main issues were enlarging evidence of effectiveness of DBT-A strategies with regard to family interaction, i.e. involving caregivers in treatment. In general, there seems to be a dire need for disentangling different therapeutic strategies and resulting treatment outcomes, especially concerning the needs of different patient groups. Additionally, the implementation of smartphone-based real life assessment and intervention into DBT-A was discussed extensively. Providing time congruent skills within an application, decreasing aversive tension and reducing dysfunctional behavior could lead to an enhanced therapist-patient interaction. This meeting report presents the core issues raised during the network meeting and discusses their implications for further research.

A mindfulness-based stress prevention training for medical students (MediMind): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Medical training is very demanding and associated with a high prevalence of psychological distress. Compared to the general population, medical students are at a greater risk of developing a psychological disorder. Various attempts of stress management training in medical school have achieved positive results on minimizing psychological distress; however, there are often limitations. Therefore, the use of a rigorous scientific method is needed. The present study protocol describes a randomized controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of a specifically developed mindfulness-based stress prevention training for medical students that includes selected elements of cognitive behavioral strategies (MediMind). METHODS/DESIGN: This study protocol presents a prospective randomized controlled trial, involving four assessment time points: baseline, post-intervention, one-year follow-up and five-year follow-up. The aims include evaluating the effect on stress, coping, psychological morbidity and personality traits with validated measures. Participants are allocated randomly to one of three conditions: MediMind, Autogenic Training or control group. Eligible participants are medical or dental students in the second or eighth semester of a German university. They form a population of approximately 420 students in each academic term. A final total sample size of 126 (at five-year follow-up) is targeted. The trainings (MediMind and Autogenic Training) comprise five weekly sessions lasting 90 minutes each. MediMind will be offered to participants of the control group once the five-year follow-up is completed. The allotment is randomized with a stratified allocation ratio by course of studies, semester, and gender. After descriptive statistics have been evaluated, inferential statistical analysis will be carried out with a repeated measures ANOVA-design with interactions between time and group. Effect sizes will be calculated using partial η-square values. DISCUSSION: Potential limitations of this study are voluntary participation and the risk of attrition, especially concerning participants that are allocated to the control group. Strengths are the study design, namely random allocation, follow-up assessment, the use of control groups and inclusion of participants at different stages of medical training with the possibility of differential analysis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is recorded at German Clinical Trials Register under the number DRKS00005354 (08 November 2013).

Aversive tension of adolescents with anorexia nervosa in daily course: a case-controlled and smartphone-based ambulatory monitoring trial.

INTRODUCTION: Monitoring and reduction of aversive tension is a core issue in dialectical behaviour therapy of patients. It has been shown that aversive tension is increased in adult borderline personality disorder and is linked to low emotion labelling ability. However, until now there is no documented evidence that patients with anorexia nervosa suffer from aversive tension as well. Furthermore the usability of a smartphone application for ambulatory monitoring purposes has not been sufficiently explored. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We compare the mean and maximum self-reported aversive tension in 20 female adolescents (12-19 years) with anorexia nervosa in outpatient treatment with 20 healthy controls. They are required to answer hourly, over a 2-day period, that is, about 30 times, four short questions on their smartphone, which ensures prompt documentation without any recall bias. At the close out, the participants give a structured usability feedback on the application and the procedure. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The achieved result of this trial has direct relevance for efficient therapy strategies and is a prerequisite for trials regarding dialectical behaviour therapy in anorexia nervosa. The results will be disseminated through peer-review publications. The ethics committee of the regional medical association in Mainz, Germany approved the study protocol under the reference number 837.177.13. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The trial is registered at the German clinical trials registration under the reference number DRKS00005228.