Does attrition during follow-up bias outcome data in studies of eating disorders?

Attrition is a pervasive problem in eating disorders research. This study examined whether those who do and do not respond to follow-up assessments differ before or during treatment. Participants ( N = 268) receiving residential eating disorders treatment were categorized according to those who did...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Eating behaviors : an international journal 2010, Vol.11 (1), p.40-44
Main Authors: Neeren, Amy M., Butryn, Meghan L., Lowe, Michael R., O'Planick, Antonia P., Bunnell, Doug W., Ice, Susan M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Analysis of Variance
Attrition
Bias
Biological and medical sciences
Body Image
Body Mass Index
Body Weight
Eating behavior disorders
Eating disorders
Feeding and Eating Disorders - therapy
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Medical sciences
Methodology. Experimentation
Miscellaneous
Patient Participation
Patient Selection
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Regression Analysis
Severity of Illness Index
Surveys and Questionnaires
Techniques and methods
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Summary:Attrition is a pervasive problem in eating disorders research. This study examined whether those who do and do not respond to follow-up assessments differ before or during treatment. Participants ( N = 268) receiving residential eating disorders treatment were categorized according to those who did (“responders,” n = 152) and did not (“non-responders,” n = 116) complete a one-month follow-up assessment. Among participants diagnosed with bulimia nervosa ( n = 136), responders exhibited significantly higher scores than non-responders at intake on restraint, weight concern, eating concerns, body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and depressive symptoms, and had significantly less improvement in eating concerns during treatment. Among participants with anorexia nervosa ( n = 132), there were no significant differences between responders and non-responders at intake or in treatment improvement. Research on bulimia nervosa treatment based on responders to follow-up assessments may underestimate the amount of improvement that patients experience.
ISSN:1471-0153
1873-7358
DOI:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2009.09.002