Effectiveness of psychological interventions for eating disorders in adolescence: An overview of systematic reviews

Abstract

Eating disorders (EDs) are high prevalent among adolescents with serious consequences. Evidence of effectiveness of psychological interventions for eating disorders in adolescents lacks a systematic synthesis of systematic reviews. The goal of this umbrella review is to summarize evidence from systematic reviews examining effects of psychological interventions for eating disorders targeting adolescents. Web of Science, PsycINFO and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched for systematic reviews on effectiveness and/or efficacy of any psychological intervention aiming to treat eating disorders in terms of outcomes in adolescents (improvement of eating-disorder symptoms, weight restoration and treatment retention). The methodological quality of each study was assessed using AMSTAR 2. The original search identified 831 reviews, 9 of which were included in the overview of systematic reviews rated as having a low methodological quality. Predominant psychological interventions for EDs in adolescents are family-based interventions. The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy and third-wave treatments has been less researched. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the EDs that have been studied the most. This study provides evidence supporting the positive impact of psychological interventions on eating disorders in adolescents. Family based treatment is the most evidence-based psychological intervention. There is a need for high-quality systematic reviews as well as systematic reviews to examine if psychological interventions are effective for different eating disorders.