Selective eating in a 9-year-old boy: family therapy as a first-line treatment

Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2013 Apr;18(2):270-5. doi: 10.1177/1359104512452418. Epub 2012 Jul 12.

Abstract

Whilst empirical studies continue to demonstrate the efficacy of family-based therapy in the treatment of adolescent anorexia nervosa, less comprehensive evidence exists in guiding the treatment of pre-adolescent eating disorders, which are typically characterised by a greater variety of symptom presentation. We present the case of a pre-adolescent male who met criteria for selective eating who was treated into full remission with eating-disorder-focused family therapy. This family-based intervention deviated significantly from recently manualised family-based therapy interventions, and we suggest continued exploration of family therapy techniques in the treatment of pre-adolescent eating disorders.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Body Mass Index
  • Child
  • Child Behavior
  • Family Therapy / methods*
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders* / diagnosis
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders* / psychology
  • Food Preferences / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Remission Induction
  • Treatment Outcome