UMH Pioneers Video Call Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa Treatment

A study by the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) is the first in Spain to implement a psychological intervention via video calls to improve the treatment of adult patients with anorexia nervosa. The work is presented as a clinical trial where patients are randomly assigned to different treatment groups to evaluate the effectiveness of the new model as a complement to the usual treatment.

In this evaluation, 148 adult women from seven specialised eating disorder units and their caregivers would participate. Half of them would receive the usual treatment plus ECHOMANTRA (the name of the model), while the other half would only receive the usual treatment. Evaluations would be conducted at the start of the study and two, six, and twelve months later.

Patients would receive eight sessions of psychological therapy via video calls, along with a workbook dedicated to behavioural and attitudinal change strategies. Caregivers would receive the same sessions and a workbook focused on their responsibilities. Additionally, they would be shown brief videos on caring for people with eating disorders and invited to read the book "Eating Disorders: A Practical Guide to Caring for a Loved One" by Janet Treasure.

The ECHOMANTRA model was developed by British psychiatrist Janet Treasure and focuses on two main aspects: including the patient's family in the treatment and providing them with information to reinforce their role as caregivers, and identifying key factors in the internal and interpersonal maintenance of the disorder to address them with behavioural change strategies.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterised by excessive food intake restriction affecting one in every hundred women in Spain. Its high rates of readmission, relapse, and chronicity, combined with its dangerous clinical picture, necessitate monitoring the effectiveness of the treatments received by those who suffer from it, explain the project leaders.