- Improvements in depression and anxiety were significantly associated with reductions in eating disorder symptoms among adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa in higher levels of care.
- Routine assessment of depression and anxiety is essential for adolescents with anorexia nervosa receiving higher levels of care to inform treatment planning.
- Findings endorse a transdiagnostic treatment approach targeting shared mechanisms and prompt research on mediators and moderators to optimise clinical outcomes.
J Clin Psychol. 2026 Jun 9. doi: 10.1002/jclp.70158. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Although the prevalence of affective comorbidities with eating disorders (ED) has been well established, the three-way relation between ED, depression, and anxiety symptoms has not been explored in an intensive adolescent treatment setting.
METHODS: This study analyzed data from a sample of teenage girls with anorexia nervosa in higher levels of care (n = 457) to assess the relations between changes in ED symptoms, depression, and anxiety over the course of ED treatment.
RESULTS: This study demonstrated that improvements in depression and anxiety are significantly associated with improvement in ED symptoms.
CONCLUSION: Findings support the importance of routine assessments for depression and anxiety among adolescents with anorexia nervosa in higher levels of care and a transdiagnostic approach to treatment that addresses shared underlying mechanisms. Future research that aims to uncover mediators and moderators of these relations is warranted to enhance clinical efforts.
PMID:42263255 | DOI:10.1002/jclp.70158
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