Introduction: Previous findings have shown that therapeutic alliance (TA) is commonly related to better therapeutic outcomes in the treatment of eating disorders (EDs). However, it is still unclear which factors may influence TA in the treatment of EDs. In this field of research, it has been suggested that depressive symptomatology along with the severity of eating symptoms can have significant effects on TA from both therapist and patient perspectives. Methods: A sample of fifty ED patients (AN=26; BN=24) aged 18-39 years and treated in a residential treatment setting, completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3) to evaluate eating symptoms and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to assess depressive symptomatology at both treatment intake and discharge. In addition, the Working Alliance Inventory was fulfilled both by the patients (WAI-P) and therapists (WAI-T) after the first month of treatment and at treatment termination. Results: Differences emerged with respect to therapist-rated early TA between AN and BN patients, with lower levels of TA among BN patients, consistent with their higher severity of eating symptoms and depressive features. In addition, it was found that depressive symptoms and ED symptoms severity, influence patient-rated early TA particularly regarding the TA dimensions of goals and tasks, as well as depressive symptoms and ED symptoms severity negatively correlate with both patient- and therapist-rated TA at treatment discharge, particularly influencing patients' perceptions of therapy goals and tasks and therapists' perceived ability to set goals, tasks and bond. Conclusions: Exploring the influence of depressive symptoms and eating disorders’ severity in the therapeutic alliance in this clinical population could be a key aspect in promoting more accurate and clinically useful treatment and “tailored” multidisciplinary therapeutic interventions focused on the specific characteristics of ED individuals.
Exploring the impact of depressive symptoms on therapeutic alliance in patients with eating disorders / Mirabella, Marta; Franco, Anna; Urgese, Alessia; Riboldi, Micaela; Angelo Rugo, Michele; Lingiardi, Vittorio. - In: MEDITERRANEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY. - ISSN 2282-1619. - Vol 11:No 2 Suppl.(2023), pp. 143-143. (Intervento presentato al convegno XXIII Congresso Nazionale della Sezione di Psicologia Clinica e Dinamica tenutosi a Firenze).
Exploring the impact of depressive symptoms on therapeutic alliance in patients with eating disorders
Marta Mirabella;Vittorio Lingiardi
2023
Abstract
Introduction: Previous findings have shown that therapeutic alliance (TA) is commonly related to better therapeutic outcomes in the treatment of eating disorders (EDs). However, it is still unclear which factors may influence TA in the treatment of EDs. In this field of research, it has been suggested that depressive symptomatology along with the severity of eating symptoms can have significant effects on TA from both therapist and patient perspectives. Methods: A sample of fifty ED patients (AN=26; BN=24) aged 18-39 years and treated in a residential treatment setting, completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3) to evaluate eating symptoms and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to assess depressive symptomatology at both treatment intake and discharge. In addition, the Working Alliance Inventory was fulfilled both by the patients (WAI-P) and therapists (WAI-T) after the first month of treatment and at treatment termination. Results: Differences emerged with respect to therapist-rated early TA between AN and BN patients, with lower levels of TA among BN patients, consistent with their higher severity of eating symptoms and depressive features. In addition, it was found that depressive symptoms and ED symptoms severity, influence patient-rated early TA particularly regarding the TA dimensions of goals and tasks, as well as depressive symptoms and ED symptoms severity negatively correlate with both patient- and therapist-rated TA at treatment discharge, particularly influencing patients' perceptions of therapy goals and tasks and therapists' perceived ability to set goals, tasks and bond. Conclusions: Exploring the influence of depressive symptoms and eating disorders’ severity in the therapeutic alliance in this clinical population could be a key aspect in promoting more accurate and clinically useful treatment and “tailored” multidisciplinary therapeutic interventions focused on the specific characteristics of ED individuals.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
