Time course of symptom remission in eating disorders
Abstract
Objective: The study was carried out to test whether time to remission varies for different eating disorder symptoms. Method: Sixty‐five patients (35 anorexic patients and 30 bulimic patients) treated with psychotherapy were interviewed 2½ years after initial assessment. Results: The anorexic physical symptoms remitted before the psychological symptoms of anorexia and bulimia nervosa, as did the bulimic behaviors: binging and purging. Nonpurging compensatory behavior and obsession with weight and shape were the last symptoms to remit. Differences between the anorexic and bulimic groups were found between the remission order of psychological symptoms. Discussion: In spite of different treatments and symptoms between patients, the results support the notion of a common pattern in the process of change including a long and stepwise course. The results detail a template of the course to recovery for eating disorders. © 2004 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 36: 296–306, 2004.
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The percentage of participants in recovery from anorexia nervosa in the current study was 18.4%, which was lower than estimates of 20-50% in other studies.
“Similarly the percentage of participants in recovery from AN in the current study was unusually low (18.4%) compared with estimates of 20–50% in other studies (Herzog et al., 1999b, Strober et al., 1997, Clausen, 2004).”
From Factors associated with recovery from anorexia nervosa (2013) · cites this paper as Clausen, 2004
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- Authors
- Clausen, L.
- Affiliations
- Aarhus University (DK)
- Corresponding author
- Clausen, Loa
- ORCID
- Clausen, Loa
- Venue
- International Journal of Eating Disorders
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2004-10-11
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 296-306
- ISSN
- 0276-3478 (ISSN-L)
- 1098-108X
- OpenAlex
- W1989791031
- Cited by
- 59
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 2.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Eating Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- eating disorders, symptom remission, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, recovery time course, psychotherapy, binge eating, purging, compensatory behavior, somatic symptoms
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Feeding and Eating Disorders, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Psychotherapy, Surveys and Questionnaires, Remission Induction, Time Factors
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