HOSPITALIZED ANOREXICS - A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF AN INPATIENT PROGRAM

Objective. To establish the range and extent of psychological improvem ent during the course of inpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa. Des ign. A prospective study, measuring change along specific parameters o f psychological functioning and nutritional status over time. Setting. A specialist inpatient facility for the treatment of eating disorders . Subjects. 15 randomly selected patients, diagnosed with anorexia ner vosa, who completed the programme. Outcome measures. Body mass index ( BMI); Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI); Beck Depression Inventory (BDI ). Results. Significant improvement was achieved in respect of nutriti onal status, as well as psychological and emotional functioning. Chang e in nutritional status was not specifically correlated with these imp rovements. However, discharge nutritional status was significantly cor related with a number of psychological and behavioural characteristics associated with anorexia as measured by the EDI. It was also found th at discharge nutritional status was positively correlated with mood st atus as measured by the BDI. Conclusions. The study highlights the bro ad range of parameters that improve within the context of a cognitive behavioural inpatient treatment programme. Inpatient treatment should not be regarded purely as a weight restoring process.