Abstract
Purpose
Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) has been used mostly in adults. Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) in anorexia nervosa (AN) have shown that CRT enhances cognitive flexibility, abstract thinking and is associated with quality-of-life improvement. More research is needed in younger populations.
Methods
A single-centre feasibility RCT with young people (YP) with AN was conducted in an inpatient setting. A secondary aim of this study was to explore patient satisfaction and parents' views towards CRT to inform further development and implementation of CRT in YP.
YP were asked to complete a therapy feedback questionnaire and write a letter with their views on CRT. Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire exploring their perceptions of CRT. Data were analysed using inductive thematic and deductive content analysis.
Results
Both YP and parents valued CRT. Its engaging and pragmatic nature and its focus on thinking styles were perceived as a novel aspect. Parents expressed the need to be involved in the sessions to be able to continue to support their children at home.
Conclusions
This study confirms previous qualitative findings. Should a fully powered RCT be conducted, it would be important to take into account these findings to further adapt the content of the CRT sessions to the YP needs and to consider their parents’ involvement in the sessions, which could also increase the likelihood of parents’ engagement in providing their feedback.
Level of evidence
Level I: Evidence obtained from one randomized controlled trial.
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Data availability
The authors confirm that anonymised data will be available upon request.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all the young people, their carers’ and staff at Rhodes Wood Hospital.
Funding
Dr Giombini is supported by Elysium Healthcare. Dr Easter, King’s College London, is supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration South London (NIHR ARC South London) at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Professor Tchanturia was supported from MRC-MRF Fund (MR/S020381/1; BiomaRkers for AnorexIa NErvosa and autism spectrum Disorders – longitudinal study and MR/R004595/1 The Triple A study (Adolescents with Anorexia and Autism): A search for biomarkers). The funders played no role in the design, analysis or preparation of the manuscript for the present study. The views expressed are those of the authors and not those of NIHR, or the Department of Health and Social Care, King’s College London and Elysium Healthcare.
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The study’s ethics approval was granted by London–Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee, NHS England (17/LO/0876). The trial registration is ISRCTN81736780. The protocol of this trial and supporting CONSORT checklist are available in Giombini et al. 2018.
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Informed consent was obtained from all participants following the Declaration of Helsinki.
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Giombini, L., Nesbitt, S., Kusosa, R. et al. Young people and parents’ views towards individual cognitive remediation therapy–qualitative findings from a feasibility randomised controlled trial. Eat Weight Disord 27, 2237–2244 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-021-01346-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-021-01346-7