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Bracké K, Steegers C, van der Harst T, Pons R, Legerstee J, Dierckx B, de Nijs P, Bax-van Berkel M, van Elburg A, Hekkelaan M, Hokke J, de Jong-Zuidema H, Korthals Altes L, Lengton-van der Spil F, Luijkx J, Schuurmans F, Smeets C, van Wijk L, Woltering C, Vernooij M, Hillegers M, White T, Dieleman G. The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating disorder features and comorbid psychopathology among adolescents with anorexia nervosa and matched controls: a comparative cohort design study. Eat Weight Disord 2024; 29:13. [PMID: 38347293 PMCID: PMC10861646 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-024-01640-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating disorder (ED) features and psychopathology in female adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN). METHOD In total 79 females with first-onset AN (aged 12-22 years) were included and were followed up across a period of 1 year. We assessed AN participants recruited pre-pandemic (n = 49) to those recruited peri-pandemic (n = 30). Pre- (n = 37) and peri-pandemic (n = 38) age-, and education-matched typically developing (TD) girls (n = 75) were used as a reference cohort. ED features and psychopathology were assessed at baseline. After 1 year of follow-up the association between pandemic timing and clinical course was assessed. Analyses of covariance were used to examine differences in ED features and psychopathology. RESULTS Peri-pandemic AN participants experienced less ED symptoms at baseline compared to pre-pandemic AN participants. In particular, they were less dissatisfied with their body shape, and experienced less interpersonal insecurity. In addition, the peri-pandemic AN group met fewer DSM-IV criteria for comorbid disorders, especially anxiety disorders. In contrast, peri-pandemic AN participants had a smaller BMI increase over time. In TD girls, there were no differences at baseline in ED features and psychopathology between the pre- and peri-pandemic group. CONCLUSION Overall, peri-pandemic AN participants were less severely ill, compared to pre-pandemic AN participants, which may be explained by less social pressure and peer contact, and a more protective parenting style during the pandemic. Conversely, peri-pandemic AN participants had a less favorable clinical course, which may be explained by reduced access to health care facilities during the pandemic. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III: Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrien Bracké
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Cathelijne Steegers
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tess van der Harst
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rozemarijn Pons
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Legerstee
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bram Dierckx
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter de Nijs
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Annemarie van Elburg
- Altrecht-Rintveld, Mental Health Care Organisation for Eating Disorders, Zeist, The Netherlands
| | - Marion Hekkelaan
- Department of Pediatrics, Het Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Joke Hokke
- Emergis-Ithaka, Mental Health Care Organisation for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kloetinge, The Netherlands
| | - Hetty de Jong-Zuidema
- GGZ Delfland, Mental Health Care Organisation for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Lucas Korthals Altes
- LUMC-Curium, Mental Health Care Organisation for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Farida Lengton-van der Spil
- Department for Eating Disorders, Emergis, Organisation for Mental Health and Well-Being, Goes, The Netherlands
| | - Judith Luijkx
- GGZ Westelijk Noord Brabant, Mental Health Care Organisation for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Roosendaal and Bergen Op Zoom, Bergen Op Zoom, The Netherlands
| | - Femke Schuurmans
- Department of Pediatrics, The Bravis Hospital, Bergen Op Zoom, The Netherlands
| | - Carien Smeets
- Department of Pediatrics, Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Lia van Wijk
- Department of Pediatrics, Franciscus Gasthuis en Vlietland, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Claire Woltering
- Department of Pediatrics, Het Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Meike Vernooij
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Manon Hillegers
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tonya White
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Section on Social and Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience, National Institutes of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gwen Dieleman
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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