Abstract
BackgroundEmotion regulation difficulties appear to play a role in the development and maintenance of several eating disorders. This pilot study aimed at examining whether a short add-on group skills training in emotion regulation for young adults with different eating disorders was feasible in a psychiatric clinical setting. We also investigated if the treatment increased knowledge of emotions, and decreased self-reported difficulties with emotion regulation, alexithymia, symptoms of eating disorder, anxiety and depression, as well as clinical impairment.MethodsSix skills training groups were piloted with a total of 29 participants (M = 21.41 years, SD = 1.92). The treatment consisted of five sessions dealing with psychoeducation about emotions and emotion regulation skills training. Paired samples t-test was used to compare differences between before-and-after measures.ResultsThe primary outcomes measures difficulties in emotion regulation (p < 0.001) and alexithymia (p < 0.001) showed significant improvement after treatment. The total eating disorder score (p = 0.009) was also significantly reduced, as was clinical impairment (p < 0.001). Acceptance/valued direction, identifying primary emotions and learning about secondary emotions was rated as especially helpful.ConclusionsThis preliminary pilot study showed that group training targeting emotion regulation skills was feasible and appreciated by participants, as well as being potentially promising as an adjunctive treatment for different eating disorders. Further controlled studies are needed.Trial registrationThe study was retrospectively registered NCT04148014 on October 30th 2019.
Highlights
Emotion regulation difficulties appear to play a role in the development and maintenance of several eating disorders
We investigated if the treatment increased knowledge of emotions, and decreased self-reported difficulties with emotion regulation, alexithymia, symptoms of eating disorder, anxiety and depression, as well as clinical impairment
In a recent study by our research group, we examined the feasibility and effect of an add-on emotion regulation group skills training delivered to a transdiagnostic child and adolescent psychiatric sample, with promising preliminary results on self-reported alexithymia and emotion regulation difficulties [21]
Summary
Emotion regulation difficulties appear to play a role in the development and maintenance of several eating disorders. In a longitudinal study of 191 patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), it has for example been shown that high levels of emotion dysregulation on discharge from inpatient treatment predicted an increase and maintenance of AN psychopathology, measured by global score on the Eating Disorder Examination, 12 months following discharge. This relationship was independent of body mass index (BMI) or depressive symptoms. Studies have further shown that individuals with EDs have more maladaptive strategies for regulating emotions, such as avoidance and suppression, and fewer adaptive strategies, such as acceptance and reappraisal [8, 9]
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