The effects of psychodynamic inpatient treatments on personality data of patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa - results of the German multicenter study (TR-EAT)

Objectives: How are the effects of a psychodynamic inpatient treatment on p ersonality data of patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa? In h ow many patients can a successful change in the personality area be observe d? Methods: 732 patients were assessed at the beginning and the end of an inpa tient treatment as well as 2 1/2 years after this treatment. Data were coll ected by means of the personality inventories Freiburger Persoenlichkeitsin ventar (FPI-R) and Narzissmusinventar. A definition of success was construc ted using the clinical significance concept. It is related to the scales li fe satisfaction, inhibition (FPI-R), powerless self and negative body self (Narzissmusinventar). Results: The results in both questionnaires show the clinically well known psychopathology characteristics of eating disorder patients. During the inp atient treatment and also afterwards, there are improvements in the persona lity data, but not to the extent of the values obtained from a healthy cont rol group. In the outcome measure, one third of the patients experienced re markable improvements. Tbe success in the personality area is positively co rrelated to the success in the eating disorder symptoms. This success could not be predicted by initial data or by therapy data. Conclusions: There are marked impairments of the patients in the personalit y data. Changes in this domain take time and are rather small.