Objective: The objective of this study is to report on the 5.5-years outcome of anorexia nervosa (AN) in male adolescent inpatients and compare it to the outcome of female adolescent inpatients with AN.
Method: Diagnostic eating disorder outcome was assessed by the Structured Inventory of Anorexic and Bulimic Syndromes (DSM-IV) in 20 males and 20 females matched for AN diagnosis, age at treatment, and length of follow-up. For documentation, follow-up scores of the Eating Disorder Inventory and the Brief Symptom Inventory are reported.
Results: Diagnostic outcome did not differ between sexes. Four male and six female participants had AN at follow-up. One male and four females had crossed to bulimia nervosa, and five males and three females to eating disorder not otherwise specified. Remission was found in 10 males and 7 females. Effect sizes were mostly small. At follow-up females had higher scores than males with large effect sizes for drive for thinness (Cohen's d = 0.86) and body dissatisfaction (d = 1.07).
Discussion: Few significant sex differences were found. Additional research involving larger samples of males and a broader range of assessed outcomes (e.g., drive for muscularity) in both sexes is urgently needed.
Keywords: adolescents; anorexia nervosa; eating disorder; females; long-term; males; outcome; structured inventory of anorexic and bulimic syndromes.
© 2022 The Authors. International Journal of Eating Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.