Enhanced Family-Based Treatment for an Adolescent With Binge-Eating Disorder: A Case Report

Family-based treatment (FBT) is considered the treatment standard for adolescent anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa-however, the effectiveness of FBT for adolescents with binge-eating disorder (BED) has not been evaluated. This clinical case paper presents the case of BED in an adolescent female treated with FBT. Through the use of FBT, family weight bias was addressed in sessions by the multidisciplinary team. Empirically supported survey measures were analyzed to monitor treatment outcome. After 21 weeks of treatment, eating disorder symptoms were in remission. In addition, the use ofFBT allowed for family factors to be addressed in treatment that may have been overlooked in individual treatment. This led to a reduction in weight and food-based shame within the family unit. As indicated by this case, FBT may be an effective treatment for adolescent BED, and as such, an effective treatment approach for adolescents across the eating disorder spectrum. Further research is needed to understand the effectiveness of FBT for BED.