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.