ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Psichiatrica 2010 September;51(3):135-44

Copyright © 2010 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Group psychoeducational psychotherapy in binge eating disorder

Leombruni P., Ottone L., Lavagnino L., Siccardi S., Nicotra B., Migliore F., Fassino S.

Struttura Complessa Dipartimento Universitario di Psichiatria Centro Pilota Regionale per i Disturbi del Comportamento Alimentare Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, S. Giovanni Battista, Università di Torino, Torino, Italia

AIM: The study explores the efficacy of group psychoeducational psychotherapy in an obese population with binge eating disorder (BED) (DSM-IV-TR) and obese subthreshold binge eaters.
METHODS: The study enrolled 297 subjects, 27 males and 270 females (mean age 46 years; mean BMI=37.8) who attended a group psychoeducational program structured in five weekly sessions of 90 minutes each, led by psychiatrists, psychologists and dieticians. Meetings were focused on discussing eating disorder diagnoses and methods to overcome overeating and to maintain healthy eating habits. Weight, BMI, levels of depression, impulsivity, anger and the main psychopathological aspects related to eating disorders were used as outcome indicators. Patients were evaluated at first access to the Centre, at the beginning of the group and at its end by self-administered questionnaires as BES, BDI, EDI-2, STAXI, EDI-SC. TCI, SCL-90, BSQ, STAI-X were administrated only at first access.
RESULTS: Present data showed correlations between drop-out at the beginning of the program and impulsivity levels (BES), eating psychopathology (EDI-2) and anger levels (STAXI).
CONCLUSION: The drop-out analysis allows to notice how impulsivity correlates with a lack of compliance to therapies, whereas a stable social condition enhances participation to the treatment plan. Further studies are necessary in order to support the efficacy of psychoeducation in BED and to study how it affects outcome.