NCT03524443

Evaluation of Art-therapy on Alexithymia in Patients Suffering From Anorexia Nervosa and From Bulimia

Evaluation of Art-therapy on Alexithymia in Patients Suffering From Anorexia Nervosa and From Bulimia,a Pilot Study

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 30 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University Hospital, Toulouse · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 16 Years
• Healthy volunteers: —

Summary

Alexithymia is often found in patients suffering from anorexia nervosa or from bulimia. Art-therapy is widely used in this indication without there is a study in the literature assessing it. ALEXART is an observational prospective multicenter cohort pilot study, assessing the effect at 3 months of art therapy on alexithymia, in patients presenting anorexia nervosa or bulimia.

Detailed description

Alexithymia, defined by difficulties to identify and describe feelings as well as a poverty of imaginary life, is found in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) or bulimia (BN) in numerous studies. Some publications show that it is a factor of resistance in several forms of psychotherapies and of poor prognosis for these patients who already present a high rate of chronification and mortality because of the complications of the undernutrition and the suicide risk. Art therapy is very wide-spread in the care of AN and of BN, but little studied. About alexithymia, if there is no psychotherapy having made the proof of its efficiency currently, some studies suggest the interest of art-therapy on alexithymic features, but none, to our knowledge, estimated the effect. The investigator suggest to describe the evolution at 3 months of art therapy on alexithymia, using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale in 20 items (TAS-20), in patients with AN or BN. The investigators shall also describe the evolution at 3 months with the TAS-20 as well as the relationship between variations of alexithymia and BMI in patients presenting AN at 1 and 3 months globally and in each of the centers. The investigators will also evaluate the effect of depression and anxiety at 1 and 3 months of art therapy on alexithymia.The investigators shall realize an observational prospective multicenter cohort study design. Each patient will receive standard care: multidisciplinary and corresponding to the HAS recommendations and semimonthly or weeklies sessions of art therapy, using all types of art. Thus, each patient will be her own control before art therapy.

Conditions

• Anorexia Nervosa/Bulimia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Art Therapy treatment	The main objective is to describe the evolution at 3 months on the alexithymic dimension in the course of a treatment in art therapy, in patients with anorexia nervosa or bulimia. Art therapy is a generic term grouping different artistic disciplines adapted and used for therapeutic purposes. It is through commitment to creative work that the therapeutic work of elaboration and reflection takes place in contrast to verbal psychotherapies and mediated psychotherapies that use speech as the main therapeutic tool. All forms of practice referring to categories of art can be used: painting, music, modeling, dance, theater and writing

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-10-01
• Primary completion: 2019-06-01
• Completion: 2019-06-01
• First posted: 2018-05-14
• Last updated: 2018-08-15

Locations

1 site across 1 country: France