Obsessive-compulsive Symptoms in Children and Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa

Obsessive-compulsive Symptoms in Children and Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa and Possible Correlation With BMI

The purpose of this study is to determine obsessive-compulsive symptoms and BMI changes in children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa and find out whether there is a group-level correlation between the two. We also investigate a possible link between obsessive compulsive symptoms and the psychological features of eating disorders.

It is a national, academic, interventional study. The data will be acquired through questionnaires.

Children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa show a high psychiatric co-morbidity. In clinical practice, compulsions and compulsive thoughts are frequently reported in children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Obsessive compulsive disorder occurs in 19% of patients with anorexia nervosa and anorexia nervosa is seen in 3-17% of female patients with obsessive compulsive disorder.

A precise explanation for this coexistence is still unknown.An underlying genetic correlation and common neuropsychological factors and personality traits are described in the literature as possible explanations. Little is know about the relation between obsessive compulsive symptoms and the psychological features of eating disorders.

It is also unclear whether obsessive compulsive symptoms can be seen as a result of the underweight and weight loss associated with anorexia nervosa and whether these symptoms clear up with weight recovery. Research on this is very limited and shows different results. The aim of this study is to examine obsessive compulsive symptoms and weight change in children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa and to determine whether there is a group-level correlation between the two.

It is a national, academic, interventional study. The data will be acquired through the following questionnaires:

• Questionnaires to be completed by the minor:

  • Dutch version of the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CYBOCS, Goodman W.K. e.a., vertaald en bewerkt door Lidewij Wolters en Else de Haan, DAT de Bascule, juni 2012, existing of two parts CY-BOCS Symptom Checklist en CY-BOCS Severity Ratings)
  • Dutch version of the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3, David M. Garner, Nederlandse vertaling door Tatjana van Strien, Hogrefe Uitgevers B.V. Amsterdam, 2014)

• Questionnaires to be completed by the parent or guardian:

  • General questionnaire: personal data, family and school and social information, child psychiatric history
  • Dutch version of the problem part of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL, T.M. Achenbach, Nederlandse vertaling door F.C. Verhulst en J. van der Ende, Erasmus MC - Sophia Kinderziekenhuis Rotterdam, 2001)
  • Anorectic Behavior Observation Scale (ABOS, Vandereycken W., Universitair Centrum Kortenberg, 1992)
  • Consent Form to contact if the completed questionnaires have increased results

Inclusion Criteria:

• Dutch-speaking female patients with parents who have sufficient command of Dutch
• Minors from 10 years up to and including 18 years old
• Known with the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and registered for treatment in Paika Food Clinic Service (outpatients and/or inpatients)
• Informed consent obtained from the minor herself and parent (s) / guardian

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients or parents of patients who do not have sufficient command of Dutch

  • Male patients
  • Minors <10 years and adults older than 18 years
  • Minors and / or parent (s) / guardians have not given written permission to participate