Results of the International NaturalisticMulticentre Study on the Therapeutic Efficacy of Eating Disorders in 19 European Countries:COST Action B6 1993–2001

Overview

This international research of the COST Action B6 was designed as a multicentre Europeannaturalistic longitudinal outcome study of eating disorders. It involved the development of standardinstruments for measuring eating disorder symptomatology at first assessment (at the beginningand the end of the treatment) and over time (1 year and 2.5 years) and the measurement ofthe components of clinical management used and the outcome of the illness. The main aim was toimprove the empirical base for the development of therapeutic programmes which will have thegreatest impact on the most important therapeutic aims at a minimum cost. In this report we arecomparing the therapeutic efficacy of specialized centres in the Czech Republic with those fromother European countries at the time of the end of the treatment and 1 year follow up. Data fromthe 2.5 year follow up will be the subject of future presentation.

Key words:
therapeutic efficacy, eating disorders, the course and the ouctome of illness, 1 yearfollow up.