EMAROEmotional Dysregulation and Maladaptive Overcontrol in Anorexia Nervosa and the Effect of Radically Open Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

This study focuses on exploring a new therapy method called Radically Open Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (RO-DBT) for treating anorexia nervosa (AN). Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder that often involves emotional dysregulation and overly controlling behaviors, making it difficult to treat. RO-DBT aims to address these specific issues, and previous small-scale studies have shown promising results for patients with AN. The study is important because finding more effective treatments for AN could help many people who currently struggle with long treatment times and high dropout rates, ultimately improving their quality of life and potentially saving lives. The study involves 31 participants aged 16 and older who have been diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. Over 32 weeks, these participants will receive RO-DBT from trained psychotherapists. The study will measure the success of the therapy by checking if participants can stick with it, how engaged they are with data collection, and their satisfaction with the treatment. Researchers will also look at any side effects. They will measure outcomes using questionnaires that assess eating disorder behaviors, emotional regulation, and personality traits. Additionally, they will track changes in body weight through Body Mass Index (BMI). The study hopes to show that RO-DBT can effectively reduce symptoms of anorexia nervosa and improve emotional regulation and body weight.