Anorexia nervosa in a Spanish adolescent sample: an 8-year longitudinal study

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the inter-mediate-term ou tcome of a sample of Spanish children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN). Method: A total of 48 female patients were evaluated at a mean follow-up ti me of 8 years by means of the Psychiatric Status Rating Scale, the Morgan a nd Russell Outcome Scale, a structured DSM-III interview and several self-r eport questionnaires. Their scores were compared with a sex- and age-matche d control group. Results: Three patients (6%) still had AN, two (4%) had partial syndromes o f anorexia, 11 patients (23%) had recovered but still showed concern about food/body weight and 32 patients (67%) had recovered completely. The crude mortality rate was 2%. Conclusion: The majority of this sample of children and adolescents with an orexia nervosa sample recovered. Perfectionism and interpersonal distrust w ere significantly more common in the anorexic patients than in the controls . Depression and phobias, including social phobia, were the most common com orbid psychiatric diagnoses at follow-up.