Examples of Studies Using CBT for ARFID

Exposure-based CBT for Adolescents

In a day-treatment specialised setting, Dumont et al., (2019) offered adolescents CBT, based on exposure principles. Following CBT, “restrictive and selective eating patterns and associated ARFID symptoms de- creased, and they showed a more varied food acceptance at follow-up”. At the three-month follow up ten of the eleven patients no longer met ARFID criteria.

CBT-AR for Adults

This is the first evidence-based intervention for adults with ARFID. This CBT study evaluated the accept- ability, feasibility, and proof of concept of CBT-AR for adults. Adults aged 18-55 years received 20-30 out- patient sessions based on the protocol from Thomas et al (2020). Participants showed marked improvement with 80% of patients ‘much improved’ or ‘very improved’ at discharge. At treatment end 93% of participants reported high ratings of treatment satisfaction. _{(Thomas et al., 2021)}

DGBI + ARFID for Adults

As there is considerable overlap between ARFID and Disorders of the Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI), a promising, brief, 8-CBT-session intervention (N=14) was developed and tested in adults attending an outpatient gastroenterology clinic. Significant, clinical improvements were evident across all the treatments, including decrease in fear and gastrointestinal anxiety and weight gain in those that were underweight. Patients fed-back high satisfaction with the intervention and outcomes. The researchers intend to complete a randomised control trial. _{(Burton-Murray et al., 2023)}

Burton-Murray, H., Weeks, I., Becker, K. R., Ljótsson, B., Madva, E. N., Eddy, K. T., Staller, K., Kuo, B., & Thomas, J. J. (2023). Development of a brief cognitive‐behavioral treatment for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder in the context of disorders of gut–brain interaction: Initial feasibility, acceptability, and clinical outcomes. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 56(3), 616 627. doi: 10.1002//eat.23874

Dumont, E., Jansen, A., Kroes, D., de Haan, E., & Mulkens, S. (2019). A new cognitive behavior therapy for adolescents with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder in a day treatment setting: A clinical case series. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 52(4), 447-458. doi: 10.1002/eat.23053

Thomas, J. J., Becker, K. R., Breithaupt, L., Mur- ray, H. B., Jo, J. H., Kuhnle, M. C., Dreier, M. J., Harshman, S., Kahn, D. L., Hauser, K., Slattery, M., Misra, M., Lawson, E. A., & Eddy, K. T. (2021). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adults with avoidant/ restrictive food intake disorder. Journal of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, 31(1), 47-55. doi: 10.1016/j.jbct.2020.10.00