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Anorexia Treatment — MRCPsych Paper B MCQ

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EasyEating DisordersAnorexia TreatmentMRCPsych Paper B

A 16-year-old girl with anorexia nervosa is medically stable and suitable for outpatient psychological treatment. Her parents are willing and able to participate, and there is no contraindication to family therapy. According to NICE NG69, which psychological treatment should be considered initially?

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Correct answer: C — Anorexia-nervosa-focused family therapy (FT-AN)

The correct answer is C: anorexia-nervosa-focused family therapy (FT-AN). NICE recommends considering FT-AN for children and young people with anorexia nervosa, delivered as single-family therapy or as a combination of single- and multi-family therapy. Early treatment supports parents or carers to take a temporary central role in helping the young person manage eating, with developmentally appropriate autonomy restored as recovery progresses. Individual CBT-ED and adolescent-focused psychotherapy are alternatives when FT-AN is unacceptable, contraindicated or ineffective. MANTRA and SSCM are NICE-listed psychological treatments for adults with anorexia nervosa and are therefore inappropriate as the initial treatment in this 16-year-old.

Reference: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Eating disorders: recognition and treatment (NG69), recommendations 1.3.10–1.3.17. 2017, updated 2020. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG69/chapter/recommendations