Frequently Asked Questions

What is it?

Family Based Treatment (FBT) is the leading form of treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa (AN). It has been studied around the world by various research groups who have shown its effectiveness in treating anorexia. It is an outpatient psychotherapy consisting of 50-60 minute sessions which include all family members and a therapist.

How does it work?

The goal of FBT is to re-nourish the adolescent using a family-centered approach, empowering parents to disrupt eating disorder behaviors with the ultimate goal of gradually assisting the adolescent to develop healthy eating patterns and disrupt eating disorder behaviors. In FBT, all family members living in the same household attend sessions. Siblings attend FBT sessions to provide support to their adolescent sibling as they go through the recovery process.

Does it work for other eating disorders?

Yes. FBT is an effective treatment for adolescents with bulimia nervosa (BN) and children with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).

Why does FBT not involve individual sessions with the child?

The therapist will spend the first 5-10 minutes of every FBT session checking in individually with the child (without parents or other family members present). The remainder of the session will involve the whole family. Due to the life-threatening nature of anorexia, it is more effective to engage the entire family in treatment rather than use an individual therapy approach. Research studies find that FBT works more quickly and efficiently than individual treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa. In head-to-head studies, individual treatment led to slower weight progress and more hospitalizations than FBT.

What are the benefits of FBT-V?

FBT-V allows the full family to be engaged throughout the treatment process.

What is it?

Guided Self-Help FBT (GSH-FBT) is a form of FBT which has been shown to have similar outcomes to standard FBT in previous studies. It involves a combination of clinician meetings and access to online learning materials to guide families through FBT. It is an outpatient psychotherapy consisting of 20-30 minute sessions which include parents and a therapist.

How does it work?

The goal of GSH-FBT is to re-nourish the adolescent using a family-centered approach, empowering parents to disrupt eating disorder behaviors with the ultimate goal of gradually assisting the adolescent to develop healthy eating patterns and disrupt eating disorder behaviors.

This is the same in FBT and GSH-FBT. In GSH-FBT families are paired with a clinician who guides them through FBT using learning materials. Only parents attend sessions, which are focused more on the family’s specific needs. In addition to these treatment sessions, families have 24/7 access to an online course platform with expert videos, reading materials and other resources.

Does it work for other eating disorders?

GSH-FBT is still being explored for adolescents with bulimia nervosa (BN) and children with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Please keep an eye out for future opportunities to participate.

Why does GSH-FBT not involve sessions with the child?

Due to the life-threatening nature of anorexia, it is more effective to engage the entire family in treatment rather than use an individual therapy approach. Research studies find that FBT works more quickly and efficiently than individual treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa. In head-to-head studies, individual treatment led to slower weight progress and more hospitalizations than FBT. Additionally, some adolescents may be resistant to attending treatment sessions. Conducting sessions with parents only allows families to tackle the eating disorder head on without having to face their child’s potential reluctance to attending treatment sessions.

What are the benefits of GSH-FBT?

GSH-FBT allows families to have 24/7, on demand access to FBT learning materials, rather than having to wait for their session with a clinician to ask questions. Additionally, it is easier to schedule GSH-FBT sessions, as families do not have to work to accommodate the often busy schedules of their children.

Why won’t my child see a separate individual therapist or nutritionist?

FBT in clinical practice does not traditionally involve an individual therapist or nutritionist. Additionally, research suggests that working with individual therapists outside of the FBT or GSH-FBT treatment teams can muddle guidance as to how to approach various issues, which might make recovery take longer. It becomes a “too many cooks in the kitchen” situation.

Is there a waitlist for treatment through your studies?

There is no waitlist for treatment through our studies. As soon as your child has been comprehensively assessed by our team, we will start with treatment!

How much does treatment through the study cost?

The study provides psychotherapy (FBT or GSH-FBT) at no cost to families. No insurance is necessary to participate in the study.

Who will make sure my child is healthy?

Enrollment in the study requires medical monitoring with a medical professional local to you. This can be your child’s pediatrician, an eating disorder specialist doctor, or qualified nurse practitioner. This individual will communicate with your study-assigned clinician to ensure that your child is healthy for outpatient treatment. They will check weight progress, vital signs, and other important markers of health in your adolescent. You will meet with this medical professional on a regular basis throughout the duration of treatment.

Who will be treating my child?

Please see our research website for more information on our clinical team.