Preliminary effectiveness of a cognitive‐behavioral, family‐centered partial hospitalization program for children and adolescents with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder

• Published in: The International journal of eating disorders 2022-11, Vol.55 (11), p.1621-1626
• Main Authors: Billman, Marley G., Forrest, Lauren N., Johnson, Mariah, Quaill, Marlana A., King, Steven, Mausteller, Kyle, Lane‐Loney, Susan E., Essayli, Jamal H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder; children and adolescents; Cognitive therapy; cognitive‐behavioral therapy; Eating disorders; partial hospitalization program; Teenagers
• ISSN: 0276-3478; 1098-108X
• DOI: 10.1002/eat.23806

Objective This study explored the preliminary effectiveness of a partial hospitalization program (PHP) for children/adolescents with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). We evaluated how ARFID symptoms changed from admission to discharge, and collected follow‐up data on symptoms and outpatient care following PHP discharge. Method Twenty‐two children/adolescents with ARFID (77.3% White, 63.6% female) completed measures assessing ARFID symptomatology at admission and discharge from a PHP for eating disorders. Six months and twelve months following their discharge, participants were contacted to complete study measures again and take part in an interview assessing follow‐up care. Results Paired samples t tests indicated that participants demonstrated increases in weight and decreases in ARFID symptomatology from admission to discharge with medium to large effects. All participants reported receiving some form of outpatient treatment following discharge, with the type of outpatient services varying across participants. Data from the 86% of participants who completed the six‐month follow‐up and 50% who completed the twelve‐month follow‐up suggest that participants generally maintained treatment gains following PHP discharge. Discussion Participants experienced symptom improvements from admission to discharge and appeared to maintain these gains after discharge. These results provide preliminary evidence that PHPs are an effective treatment option for children and adolescents with ARFID. Public Significance Statement This study provides preliminary evidence that intensive, evidence‐based PHPs are effective in treating ARFID. Our findings suggest that children and adolescents with ARFID who receive flexible, cognitive‐behavioral, family‐centered treatment in a PHP for EDs experience improvements in weight and ARFID symptomatology from admission to discharge. Despite receiving variable and nonstandardized outpatient treatment, individuals with ARFID appear to maintain treatment gains 6 and 12 months after discharge in a PHP.