NCT06792227

Family-Based Treatment at Home in Adolescents With Eating Disorders and Co-occurring Mental Health Conditions

Family-based Treatment at Home in Adolescents With Eating Disorders and Co-occurring Mental Health Conditions

• Status: Enrolling By Invitation
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 10 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Karakter Kinder- en Jeugdpsychiatrie · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 12 Years – 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The significant impact of eating disorders on adolescents necessitates the evaluation of current treatments. Family-based Treatment (FBT) is the standard treatment but has modest remission rates, highlighting the need for improvements. Assessing its effectiveness in adolescents with co-occurring mental health conditions is also crucial. In the Netherlands, there is a growing focus on home-based treatment. This study aims to enhance remission rates in FBT by adapting it for use in a home setting (FBT-H).

Detailed description

Background: The significant impact of eating disorders on adolescents necessitates the evaluation of current treatments. Family-based Treatment (FBT) is the standard treatment but has modest remission rates, highlighting the need for improvements. Assessing its effectiveness in adolescents with co-occurring mental health conditions is also crucial. In the Netherlands, there is a growing focus on home-based treatment. This study aims to enhance remission rates in FBT by adapting it for use in a home setting (FBT-H). Objective: This mixed-method study combines single case studies with qualitative research. The primary objective is to assess the effects and experiences of FBT-H in adolescents with eating disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions across variables such as weight, eating disorder symptoms, anxiety, mood, well-being, quality of life, and family dynamics. Additionally, it explores the experiences of adolescents, parents, and practitioners with FBT-H. Methods: Adolescents (12-18 years old) with anorexia nervosa (AN) or other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED), alongside co-occurring mental health conditions, will participate in FBT-H, attending about two home sessions per week for 6-12 months. Ten patients will be monitored with intensive measurements over one year. Baseline assessments include somatic screening, clinical interviews, and evaluations of mood, anxiety, and family dynamics. The primary outcome is weight change from baseline to one year post treatment, and secondary outcomes (e.g., eating disorder symptoms, quality of life, parent-child relationships, and caregiving burden) are assessed at baseline and then every three months. General well-being and therapeutic relationships are tracked weekly. One-year post treatment, somatic health, and mood/anxiety symptoms will be reassessed alongside qualitative interviews with adolescents, parents, and practitioners.

Conditions

• Eating Disorders
• Anorexia Nervosa
• Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	FBT-H	FBT is a structured treatment lasting 6-12 months, typically in an outpatient setting, with weekly sessions that gradually decrease in frequency over time (Lock \& Le Grange, 2015). It empowers parents to manage their child's recovery from the ED. The first phase focuses on weight restoration, with parents responsible for all eating decisions and restricting physical activity to reduce ED's influence. In the second phase, eating responsibility gradually shifts back to the adolescent. The final phase supports healthy adolescent development as ED symptoms subside. The FBT-H adapts FBT to a home setting, with treatment led by family counselors and psychologists as part of a multidisciplinary team, including therapists, psychologists, a psychiatrist and a nurse specialist.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-11-01
• Primary completion: 2026-04-01
• Completion: 2026-04-01
• First posted: 2025-01-24
• Last updated: 2025-01-24

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Netherlands