The study showed the good psychometric properties of the new Italian version of the EDE-Q 6.0, and validated its use in Italian eating disorder patients, particularly in young females with anorexia nervosa.

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This retrospective study aimed to assess the number, demographic and clinical characteristics of patients seeking treatment for eating disorders at a clinical service specialized in delivering enhanced cognitive behavior (CBT-E) before (01/01/2018 - 08/03/2020) and during (09/03/2020 - 31/12/2021) the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A larger number of adults than adolescents sought treatment both before (121 [66%] vs. 62 [44%]) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (108 [53%] vs. 95 [47%]) (chi-squared=6.66, p=0.010). However, the percentage of adolescents seeking treatment was higher in the pandemic than in pre-pandemic years (60.5% vs. 39.5%). On the contrary, the rate of adults with an age of ≥25 years was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic (chi-square=8.71, p=0.033). No significant difference was found in demographics, clinical characteristics, and DSM-5 diagnoses between patients seeking treatment before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In conclusion, the results show a significant increase in adolescent patients seeking outpatient CBT-E during the COVID-19 pandemic.

IntroductionUniversity counseling centers represent important resources for personal development, and students are increasingly turning to them for help. The present study aimed at, first, evaluating changing in psychological functioning before and after a university counseling intervention and, second, exploring which psychological variables predicted the intervention outcome.MethodsFor this purpose, 122 students who attended university counseling services were administered measures to assess personality traits, and measures to assess state variables - intended as contextual, rather than stable, alterations in functioning - such as anxiety, hopelessness and depression. Several Linear Mixed Models were performed to measure the differences between OQ-45 scores before and after the intervention (one for each OQ dimension and OQ total score); then, two steps of multiple regression analyses were performed.ResultsSignificative reductions between pre-test and post-test OQ-45 scores were found, highlighting increased levels of well-being; personality traits seem not to be predictive of the intervention outcome, while state variables significantly contribute to the psychological wellbeing improvement after counseling intervention.DiscussionOur findings highlight the importance of paying attention to the role of affective difficulties in predicting the counseling effectiveness.