Dataset Information

Emotion regulation group skills training: a pilot study of an add-on treatment for eating disorders in a clinical setting.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Emotion regulation difficulties appear to play a role in the development and maintenance of several eating disorders. This pilot study aimed at examining whether a short add-on group skills training in emotion regulation for young adults with different eating disorders was feasible in a psychiatric clinical setting. We also investigated if the treatment increased knowledge of emotions, and decreased self-reported difficulties with emotion regulation, alexithymia, symptoms of eating disorder, anxiety and depression, as well as clinical impairment.

Methods

Six skills training groups were piloted with a total of 29 participants (M = 21.41 years, SD = 1.92). The treatment consisted of five sessions dealing with psychoeducation about emotions and emotion regulation skills training. Paired samples t-test was used to compare differences between before-and-after measures.

Results

The primary outcomes measures difficulties in emotion regulation (p < 0.001) and alexithymia (p < 0.001) showed significant improvement after treatment. The total eating disorder score (p = 0.009) was also significantly reduced, as was clinical impairment (p < 0.001). Acceptance/valued direction, identifying primary emotions and learning about secondary emotions was rated as especially helpful.

Conclusions

This preliminary pilot study showed that group training targeting emotion regulation skills was feasible and appreciated by participants, as well as being potentially promising as an adjunctive treatment for different eating disorders. Further controlled studies are needed.

Trial registration

The study was retrospectively registered NCT04148014 on October 30th 2019.

SUBMITTER: Holmqvist Larsson K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7118896 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Emotion regulation group skills training: a pilot study of an add-on treatment for eating disorders in a clinical setting.

Holmqvist Larsson Kristina K Lowén Anna A Hellerstedt Linda L Bergcrona Linn L Salerud Mimmi M Zetterqvist Maria M

Journal of eating disorders 20200403

<h4>Background</h4>Emotion regulation difficulties appear to play a role in the development and maintenance of several eating disorders. This pilot study aimed at examining whether a short add-on group skills training in emotion regulation for young adults with different eating disorders was feasible in a psychiatric clinical setting. We also investigated if the treatment increased knowledge of emotions, and decreased self-reported difficulties with emotion regulation, alexithymia, symptoms of e ...[more]

PMID: 32266070

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Project description:The practice of meditation has been historically linked to beneficial effects, not only in terms of spirituality but also in terms of well-being, general improvement of psychophysiological conditions and quality of life. The present study aims to assess the beneficial effects of a short-term intervention (a combination of 12 practical 1-h sessions of meditation, called Integral Meditation, and lectures on neuroscience of meditation) on psychological indicators of well-being in subjects from the general population. We used a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design, in which all participants (n = 41, 17 men and 24 women, with a mean age of 41.1 years) underwent the same intervention. Out of these, 24 had already experienced meditation practice, but only 12 in a continuative way. Effects were assessed by the standardized Italian version of three self-report questionnaires: Core Outcome in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM), Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). The questionnaires were filled in at baseline and immediately after the last meditation session. Linear mixed effect models were used to evaluate pre-post treatment changes on each outcome. Participants showed a general, close to a statistically significant threshold, improvement in the total score of CORE-OM and its different domains. The total score of FFMQ (β = 0.154, p = 0.012) indicates a statistically significant increase in the level of mindfulness as well as in the domains acting with awareness (β = 0.212, p = 0.024), and non-judging of inner experiences (β = 0.384, p < 0.0001). Lastly, we observed a statistically significant improvement in the cognitive reappraisal ERQ domain (β = 0.541, p = 0.0003). Despite some limitations (i.e., small sample size, lack of a randomised control group and sole use of "soft" measurements, such as self-report questionnaires), this study offers promising results regarding the within-subject effectiveness of our intervention that includes a meditation practice on psychological indicators, thus providing interesting preliminary results.

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Dataset Information

Emotion regulation group skills training: a pilot study of an add-on treatment for eating disorders in a clinical setting.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Trial registration

Publications

Emotion regulation group skills training: a pilot study of an add-on treatment for eating disorders in a clinical setting.

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