Family-based therapy for adolescents with anorexia nervosa

Practice guidelines advocate a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of adolescents with anorexia nervosa. A specific type of therapy in which the family plays an integral role has yielded good outcomes. We describe 2 patients who failed to respond to conventional care in a multidisciplinary setting and subsequently underwent family-based therapy with good results. Our findings suggest that enlisting the family in the treatment of adolescents with anorexia nervosa may lead to greater weight gain, shorter treatment duration, and reduced costs.