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The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago Medical Center
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Adult Eating and Weight Disorders

Our Clinic

As a psychological research and training clinic, the Adult Eating and Weight Disorders Program at the University of Chicago specializes in difficult-to-treat eating problems. We research various empirically validated out-patient treatments and conduct comprehensive psychological assessments for adults (18 and older) with a range of eating and weight disorders, including Anorexia Nervosa, Binge-Eating Disorder, and Bulimia Nervosa.

Our clinical mission and research goal is to develop treatment for these individuals by utilizing psychosocial treatments, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy and other Mindfulness-Based Therapies, Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, and Family-Based Therapy. All treatments are provided free of charge to eligible study participants. Eligibility is determined by whether they meet criteria for an eating disorder, reside within commuting distance to The University of Chicago, and consent and agree to the research protocol. Other study-specific eligibility criteria may also apply. Treatment typically involves a phone screen, a free comprehensive assessment, the completion of weekly online questionnaires, and weekly therapy sessions. Other assessments specific to each study may also be required as part of the participation of our studies.

Moreover, our teaching mission is to train therapists in the administration of these treatments to individuals with eating and weight disorders and to train assessors in the assessment of such problems.

For more information about our eating disorders program, call us at (773) 834-9120 or email us at awed@bsd.uchicago.edu.

Current Studies

  1. Treatment Study for Women with Binge-Eating Problems

    2. Aims of the Project
    Binge-Eating Disorder and Bulimia Nervosa are a significant public health problems for women. Despite this, there is limited research on how best to treat these disorders at varying levels of severity. The purpose of the present study is to enroll individuals in a less-intense treatment, but if more intense treatment is needed, assign individuals by chance to either Cognitive-Behavior Therapy or Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Both of these treatments have been shown to be helpful with individuals with eating disorders. The effectiveness of these two types of outpatient treatments will be compared and evaluated.

    Procedures
    Once the study has been explained to you in a telephone screening, you will be asked if you want to continue participating. If so, you will complete an in-person assessment to figure out if this study is a good match. If this study is found to be a good match you will have another in-person assessment that also includes laboratory tasks, heart rate and skin conductance assessment, and a small sample of your blood and saliva.

    Treatments
    All individuals will receive 4-weeks of a less intense treatment. If you need more treatment, you stand an equal chance of being randomized (a process similar to flipping a coin) to Dialectical Behavior Therapy or Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. Both of these psychotherapies have been used successfully with individuals with Binge-Eating Disorder and Bulimia Nervosa (see eligibility criteria and contact information).

  2. Treatment for Young Adults with Anorexia Nervosa

    3. Aims of the Project
    Anorexia Nervosa is a serious illness that starts in adolescence and is often long lasting. Anorexia Nervosa has a high mortality rate and currently there is no clearly helpful treatment for adults with this disorder. Currently the treatment with the most promising data is Family Based Therapy, a treatment developed for adolescents. The aim of this of the present study is to develop, and assess the helpfulness of family-based treatment for young adults with Anorexia Nervosa.

    Procedures

    1. A preliminary phone conversation will be scheduled to allow for research staff to provide more information and determine if the participant might be eligible for the treatment study.
    2. Preliminary interviews with the participant and family of choice are scheduled with research staff to assess if the treatment study is a good fit for the participant and the family of choice. In addition, the participant and family of choice are interviewed and asked to fill out several questionnaires. At this meeting, the participant and family of choice will be given the opportunity to ask questions and make a final decision about whether or not to participate.
    3. Following the assessments, which includes a medical screen, the participant and a supportive adult of choice will begin therapy sessions.


    Treatments
    Family Based Therapy is a family based approach in which we utilize any adult in the patient's environment that provides support for the patient. The first stage of treatment focuses on weight restoration and reduction of eating disorders symptoms. Once the eating disorder is under control, the supportive adult of choice returns control over eating back to the patient and helps him/her with normal developmental tasks. Treatment involves 18 out-patient therapy sessions over the course of 6 months (see eligibility criteria and contact information).

  3. Psychophysiological and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research: Individuals with and Without Eating Disorders

    4. Part of our work involves trying to characterize difficult-to-treat eating and weight disorders utilizing noninvasive techniques such as psychophysiological assessment (heart rate, respiration, skin conductance) and functional magnetic resonance imaging. We use these methodologies to examine emotional processing in these disorders. Psychophysiological assessment is part of our routine assessment and, depending on eligibility criteria, we may offer clients also the opportunity to participate in our functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. We also often offer these assessment procedures to healthy individuals (see eligibility criteria and contact information).

Treatments

The types of treatments in our clinic include some of the following:

  1. Cognitive-Behavior Therapy: Cognitive-Behavior Therapy teaches behavioral and cognitive strategies to address binge-eating. It employs weekly group and individual therapy.

  2. Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Dialectical Behavior Therapy teaches mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness skills. It employs weekly group and individual therapy.

  3. Family-Based Therapy for Young Adults: Family-Based Therapy involves a collaborative family-based approach in which we utilize any adult in an individual's environment that provides support for the individual seeking treatment. It involves up to 6 months of individual and/or family therapy sessions with the client and his/her family of choice.

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