Using EFT to work with the anorexic voice
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Applying emotion focused therapy (EFT) to work with the ‘anorexic voice’ (‘AV’) within anorexia nervosa (AN). A proof of concept study.
IRAS ID
219549
Contact name
Rebecca Hibbs
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Holloway, University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Is a brief form of Emotion-Focused Therapy that focuses on the anorexic voice feasible and acceptable as an intervention for six individuals with anorexia nervosa?\n\nAnorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder (ED) characterised by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. It is among the most difficult to treat of all psychiatric disorders and there is a lack of clear evidence for effective therapies. Preliminary research shows that over 90% of people with AN describe experiencing their thoughts and feelings as a critical, inner voice or ‘anorexic voice’ (AV). It is thought that individuals struggle to benefit from treatments where there is a focus on change (e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy) because any attempt to change eating behaviour is met with an internal backlash from their AV.\n\nEmotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is an evidence-based psychological therapy that offers ways of dealing with harsh internal critical voices. EFT uses something called “chair work”, which will be used to communicate with the AV in order to encourage more healthy responses to critical-internal voices and reduce the self-attacking.\n\nThe intervention itself will involve six individual 1 hour sessions. We will be recruiting six patients with a diagnosis of AN who are experiencing an AV, from two ED services in London. The impact of the intervention will be assessed by self-reported measures of the relationship with the AV, ED thoughts and behaviours and motivation/readiness to change and hope of recovery at weekly intervals. Symptoms, a mood/anxiety measure and how participants are valuing their illness, will also be measured pre- and post-treatment and at 1 month follow-up.\n\nThe overall aim of the study is to demonstrate that a brief form of EFT that focuses on the AV is feasible and acceptable as an intervention for AN.
REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0775
Date of REC Opinion
14 Jun 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion