DSM-5 severity specifiers for anorexia nervosa and treatment outcomes in adult females
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Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate treatment outcomes across the BMI (body mass index)-based DSM-5 severity specifiers in a sample of adult females with anorexia nervosa (AN) treated with enhanced cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT-E).Method One hundred and twenty-eight participants with AN (64 outpatients and 64 inpatients) were sub-categorised using DSM-5 severity specifiers and compared by baseline clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes at the end of treatment and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups.Results No significant differences were found across the four severity groups for 'weight recovery' (i.e., BMI ≥ 18.5 kg/m 2) or 'good outcome' (i.e., BMI ≥ 18.5 kg/m 2 and minimal accompanying eating disorder psychopathology).Discussion Our data suggest that the DSM-5 severity specifiers for anorexia nervosa may have limited clinical utility in predicting treatment outcomes of CBT-E.
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Research has provided limited support for the DSM-5 low BMI specifier ratings across both European and US samples.
“To date, research has provided limited support for the DSM-5 low BMI specifier ratings across both European [81–84] and US [85, 86] samples.”
From Mental, behavioral and neurodevelopmental disorders in the ICD-11: an international perspective on key changes and controversies (2020) · cites this paper as [82]
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- Authors
- Dalle Grave, R., Sartirana, M., El Ghoch, M., & Calugi, S.
- Affiliations
- Casa di Cura Villa Garda (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Calugi, Simona
- Venue
- Eating Behaviors
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-12
- Volume
- 31
- Pages
- 18-23
- ISSN
- 1471-0153 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2884902199
- Cited by
- 27
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 2.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- Locations
- Eating Behaviors (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- IRIS UNIMORE (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- 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
- anorexia nervosa, treatment outcome prediction, CBT-E, body mass index, adult female patient, eating disorder psychopathology, inpatient and outpatient care
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anorexia Nervosa, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Severity of Illness Index, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Body Mass Index, Treatment Outcome, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
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