Abstract
Objectives
We examined the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating disorder (ED) features and comorbid psychopathology by comparing similar groups of female adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) and matched healthy controls (HCs) prepandemic (May 3, 2017 to March 15, 2020) and peripandemic (March 16, 2020 to October 14, 2021).
Methods
In 79 female adolescents with first-onset AN, aged 12 to 22 years, ED features and psychiatric comorbidity was assessed at 2 timepoints: at baseline (T1) and after 1 year of follow-up (T2). We compared 2 clinical cohorts: patients included prepandemic (n = 49) and peripandemic (n = 30). Prepandemic (n = 37) and peripandemic (n = 38) age-, gender-, and education-matched HCs (n = 75) were recruited and used as a reference group. To investigate differences in ED features and comorbid psychopathology between groups, we conducted a separate ANCOVA.
Results
AN patients included peripandemic experienced less ED symptoms compared to AN patients included prepandemic (F1,69 = 13.88; p ≤ .001; η2p = 0.17). In particular, AN patients included peripandemic were less dissatisfied with their body shape (F1,62 = 7.85; p = .007; η2p = 0.11) , and experienced less interpersonal insecurity (F1,62 = 11.21; p = .001; η2p = 0.15) compared to AN patients included prepandemic. Furthermore, AN patients included peripandemic fulfilled less DSM-IV criteria for comorbid disorders, in particular less anxiety disorders (χ2 = 21.72; degrees of freedom [df] = 1; p < .001) compared to AN patients included prepandemic. The peripandemic patient cohort had a lower BMI increase at T2, compared to the prepandemic cohort. HCs included prepandemic did not show significant differences in ED features and psychopathology compared to HCs included peripandemic.
Conclusions
AN patients included peripandemic presented with less severe ED symptoms and had less comorbid DSM-IV diagnoses compared to a similar group of AN patients included prepandemic. Our findings may be explained by less social pressure and contacts with peers, and a more protective parenting style during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the peripandemic patient cohort had a lower BMI increase after 1 year of follow-up compared to the prepandemic patient cohort, which may be explained by reduced access to healthcare facilities peripandemic.
We examined the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating disorder (ED) features and comorbid psychopathology by comparing similar groups of female adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) and matched healthy controls (HCs) prepandemic (May 3, 2017 to March 15, 2020) and peripandemic (March 16, 2020 to October 14, 2021).
Methods
In 79 female adolescents with first-onset AN, aged 12 to 22 years, ED features and psychiatric comorbidity was assessed at 2 timepoints: at baseline (T1) and after 1 year of follow-up (T2). We compared 2 clinical cohorts: patients included prepandemic (n = 49) and peripandemic (n = 30). Prepandemic (n = 37) and peripandemic (n = 38) age-, gender-, and education-matched HCs (n = 75) were recruited and used as a reference group. To investigate differences in ED features and comorbid psychopathology between groups, we conducted a separate ANCOVA.
Results
AN patients included peripandemic experienced less ED symptoms compared to AN patients included prepandemic (F1,69 = 13.88; p ≤ .001; η2p = 0.17). In particular, AN patients included peripandemic were less dissatisfied with their body shape (F1,62 = 7.85; p = .007; η2p = 0.11) , and experienced less interpersonal insecurity (F1,62 = 11.21; p = .001; η2p = 0.15) compared to AN patients included prepandemic. Furthermore, AN patients included peripandemic fulfilled less DSM-IV criteria for comorbid disorders, in particular less anxiety disorders (χ2 = 21.72; degrees of freedom [df] = 1; p < .001) compared to AN patients included prepandemic. The peripandemic patient cohort had a lower BMI increase at T2, compared to the prepandemic cohort. HCs included prepandemic did not show significant differences in ED features and psychopathology compared to HCs included peripandemic.
Conclusions
AN patients included peripandemic presented with less severe ED symptoms and had less comorbid DSM-IV diagnoses compared to a similar group of AN patients included prepandemic. Our findings may be explained by less social pressure and contacts with peers, and a more protective parenting style during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the peripandemic patient cohort had a lower BMI increase after 1 year of follow-up compared to the prepandemic patient cohort, which may be explained by reduced access to healthcare facilities peripandemic.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | S166 |
| Journal | Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue number | 10 Supplement |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2023 |