Anorexia nervosa (AN) has the highest mortality rate among all psychiatric disorders, with approximately 5% of the patients dying within four years of diagnosis. Since AN is influenced by various...Show moreAnorexia nervosa (AN) has the highest mortality rate among all psychiatric disorders, with approximately 5% of the patients dying within four years of diagnosis. Since AN is influenced by various factors, predicting the clinical course remains challenging. As previous studies have suggested that early intervention for AN may have the greatest potential to reduce harm, it is important to diagnose AN at a very early stage and provide a tailored treatment plan. This study aimed to examine whether readiness and motivation to change and neurocognitive functioning predict treatment outcome during the acute phase of AN. The objectives of this study were to examine whether readiness and motivation to change predicts (1) changes in BMI-SDS and fat percentage after one year of treatment, (2) changes in severity of anxiety, depression, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms after one year of follow-up, and (3) whether neurocognitive functions predict changes in BMI-SDS and fat percentage after one year of treatment. A longitudinal study was conducted in a sample of 79 first-onset AN patients aged from 12-22 years. Readiness and motivation to change was measured using the Dutch version of the Readiness and Motivation to Change Questionnaire. BMI-SDS was measured by calculating BMI-length/weight SDS. Fat percentage was measured using the BOD POD. Anxiety, depression, and OCD symptoms were assessed with the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders, the Dutch version of the Beck Depression Inventory, and the (Children's) Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, respectively. Neurocognitive functioning was measured with the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence and the Rey Complex Figure Test. Simple linear regressions showed that readiness and motivation to change and neurocognition in the acute phase of the disease did not significantly predict changes in BMI-SDS, fat percentage, or changes in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and OCD after one year of follow-up. Future research should aim to examine readiness and motivation to change for each symptom domain instead of a global state, differentiate between intelligence levels, examine treatment outcomes in a multidimensional view, and assess multiple points in time.Show less
