The treatment of nutrition and eating disorders: studies on the therapeutic relationship and the effectiveness of an integrated approach.

In collaboration with researchers from the Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, the Gruber Residence explores integrated residential treatment outcomes for ED patients associated with personality, therapeutic relationship and psychosocial factors.

Given the difficulties inherent in the treatment of ED patients underlined by clinical and empirical literature, international guidelines suggest that levels of care for these patients should be calibrated according to multiple individual factors, including the severity of the pathology, motivation for treatment, and above all the presence of other comorbid psychiatric disorders, primarily personality disorders.
For particularly severe cases, the most appropriate modality appears to be intensive residential treatment, as its strictly multidisciplinary approach can address the complex needs of ED patients. However, evaluation of the effectiveness of these therapeutic approaches is still in its infancy.
The study therefore aims to:

• Evaluate the long-term outcomes of integrated residential treatment for EDs
• Assess the predictive value of personality in residential treatment outcomes and identify ED patient personality subtypes empirically
• Explore the role of the therapeutic relationship in treatment outcome
• Investigate the role of psychological resources and wellbeing, in addition to symptomatic impairment, in therapeutic change following multidisciplinary residential treatment.

• Vittorio Lingiardi, Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst, Full Professor of Dynamic Psychology, Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome
• Laura Muzi, Psychologist, Researcher in Dynamic and Clinical Psychology at the Department of Philosophy, Social Sciences and Education, Università degli Studi di Perugia
• Marta Mirabella, Psychologist, Research Associate, Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome
• Michele Rugo, Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst, Medical Director of the Gruber Residence, Bologna
• Anna Franco, Psychologist and Psychotherapist, Psychology Area Coordinator, Gruber Residence, Bologna
• Alessia Urgese, Psychologist, Clinical Coordinator, Gruber Residence, Bologna