Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder: An adult case responding to cognitive behavioral therapy
Abstract
Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a new diagnostic category in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 ( DSM-5) which replaces and extends the DSM-4 diagnosis of feeding disorder of infancy or early childhood. There is limited information as to the characteristics of the patients with ARFID, its course and prognosis and treatment. We aim to contribute to available literature on ARFID by presenting this case. We discussed a young lady with ARFID who responded well to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with successful application of in vivo exposure, systematic desensitization, and cognitive restructuring techniques. After the 12 sessions of CBT as inpatient and eight sessions as outpatient, she gained 4 kg (8.81 lbs); her body mass index (BMI) rising from 16 to 17.5 kg/m 2 , Hamilton anxiety rating score dropped from 27 to 5. She continued to improve reaching the BMI of 18.3 kg/m 2 6-month post-discharge. This case suggests that CBT can be a useful treatment modality in adults with ARFID.
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Findings are consistent with positive outcomes of single case reports of CBT for ARFID in adults.
“Our findings are consistent with positive outcomes of single case reports of CBT for ARFID in adults (e.g., Aloi et al., 2018; Görmez et al., 2018; Steen & Wade, 2018)”
From Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adults with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (2021) · cites this paper as Görmez et al., 2018
A handful of recent case reports have highlighted the potential of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for adults with ARFID.
“A handful of recent case reports have highlighted the potential of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for adults (e.g., Aloi, Sinopoli, & Segura-Garcia, 2018; Görmez, Kılıç, & Kırpınar, 2018; Steen & Wade, 2018).”
From Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adults with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (2021) · cites this paper as Görmez et al., 2018
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- Authors
- Görmez, A., Kılıç, A., & Kırpınar, İ.
- Affiliations
- Istanbul Medeniyet University (TR)
- Ahi Evran University (TR)
- Bezmiâlem Vakıf Üniversitesi (TR)
- Corresponding author
- Kılıç, Alperen
- Venue
- Clinical Case Studies
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2018-08-23
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 443-452
- ISSN
- 1534-6501 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-3802
- OpenAlex
- W2888589496
- Cited by
- 22
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3
- FWCI
- 1.47
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Clinical Case Studies (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Keywords
- avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, cognitive behavioral therapy, in vivo exposure, systematic desensitization, cognitive restructuring, eating disorders, weight gain, body mass index, anxiety reduction
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