TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Caslini, Manuela
AU  -  Rivolta, Laura
AU  -  Zappa, Luigi Enrico
AU  -  Carrà, Giuseppe
AU  -  Clerici, Massimo
T1  -  Psychotherapeutic treatment of eating disorders improve 
dissociative experiences and impulse regulation but not alexithymia. A case series report
PY  -  2015
Y1  -  2015-05-01
DO  -  10.1708/1910.20798
JO  -  Rivista di Psichiatria
JA  -  Riv Psichiatr
VL  -  50
IS  -  3
SP  -  143
EP  -  147
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  2038-2502
Y2  -  2026/05/01
UR  -  http://dx.doi.org/10.1708/1910.20798
N2  -  summary. Aim. Eating disorders (EDs) are complex conditions associated with disability and a high rate of mortality. Typical characteristics of these diseases are dissociation, alexithymia and impulse dysregulation, all strategies dealing with negative emotions and regulate negative affect and anxiety. Our study aimed to assess the effectiveness of intensive psychological treatment for EDs, with particular reference to the above mentioned clinical characteristics. Methods. Eight outpatients with eating disorders in psychotherapeutic treatment were evaluated in two stages after one year (T1 and T2), using the Eating Disorder Inventory II, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale 20, and the Dissociative Experiences Scale. Results. Wilcoxon test showed significant reductions in DES score as well as in two subscales of the EDI-2, Impulse Regulation and Body Dissatisfaction (I-EDI2 and BD-EDI2), while alexithymia levels did not show any difference. Conclusions. We can confirm the effectiveness of psychotherapy in people with EDs as regards dissociative moments, impulsivity and body dissatisfaction. However, alexithymia remains unchanged, possibly because of its deep emotional nature.
ER  -