Eating Disorders Program

The Eating Disorders Program at
the University of Chicago Hospitals

Eating Disorders Program in The New York Times, Sep.2007
Eating Disorders Program in Yahoo! News, Sep. 2007
Eating Disorders Program in Chicago Magazine, Mar.2007
Eating Disorders Program in The New York Times, Nov.2006
Eating Disorders Program in The Chicago Tribune, Apr.2005

The Eating Disorders Program at The University of Chicago Hospitals provides comprehensive outpatient and limited inpatient services for the assessment, treatment and follow-up of adolescents and adults with eating disorders. This includes:

Adolescent anorexia and bulimia nervosa and related disorders
Adult anorexia and bulimia nervosa and related disorders
Binge eating disorder
Childhood and adolescent obesity

Eating Disorders Assessment

Assessments are needed in order to make proper diagnoses and recommendations for treatment. The Eating Disorder Program at The University of Chicago Hospitals has an extensive assessment procedure involving a combination of interviews and self-report questionnaires.

Treatment for Eating Disorders

The goals and length of outpatient treatment depend on the special needs of each patient and are therefore tailored to the requirements of each patient. In general, the treatment focuses on eating disorder symptoms (e.g., self-starvation, binge eating and purging), as well as emotional and interpersonal concerns. In addition, if the patient experiences significant anxiety, depression, or relationship problems, these conditions will also be assessed and treated at the Eating Disorders Program.

Services include:

Diagnostic evaluations
Individual and/or group psychotherapy
Parent participation in the treatment of children and adolescents
Medication consultations and management
Medical evaluation and follow-up

Most individuals are seen for a course of outpatient treatment sessions. In general, our program follows manualized treatment approaches which have received extensive clinical and research support. Because eating disorders usually have serious medical consequences, our program will also facilitate appropriate medical management either through our Pediatric or Primary Care Departments at The University of Chicago Hospitals. Brief inpatient intervention for the eating disorder, if indicated, is also provided in the Department of Psychiatry.

Adolescents are typically treated using manualized Family-Based Treatment, in which specific goals are set at the outset of treatment and reviewed throughout the therapy. Treatment typically addresses eating disorder issues in 20-25 sessions that are scheduled over 10-12 months. For a brief description of Family-Based Treatment see Treatment Options For Eating Disorders .

Adult patients are usually seen individually, although family and spouses can be involved in treatment if the clinician feels it is appropriate. These treatments follow manualized treatments such as Cognitive-Behavior Therapy or Interpersonal Therapy. For a brief description of these treatments see Treatment Options For Eating Disorders

Current Eating Disorders Research Projects

Anorexia Nervosa PDA Study, Daniel le Grange, PhD
The purpose of this research study is to examine the relationship between various daily life experiences, personality, and eating disorder symptoms. This research is being done because currently little is known about how symptoms of anorexia nervosa are maintained by personality traits, momentary mood states, thought patterns, or life events. If you are interested and would like more information, please go to
http://psychiatry.uchicago.edu/research/volunteers/anpdastudy.html

Treatment Study for Women with Bulimia Nervosa and Depression, Eunice Chen, PhD
The purpose of this research study is to determine how helpful a psychological treatment or pharmacotherapy (drug therapy) is for women with bulimia nervosa and depression. This study compares two outpatient treatments, Dialectical Behavior Therapy and pharmacotherapy. For more information about this study, please go to
http://psychiatry.uchicago.edu/research/volunteers/DBT.html

ED Parent Support Project, Daniel le Grange, PhD & Roslyn Binford Hopf, PhD
The purpose of this study is to examine the emotional impact of administering family-based treatment and to determine whether a therapist-guided, internet-based chat support group for parents who are implementing family-based treatment would be helpful. For more information about this study, please go to
http://www.edparentsupport.net/website/projectinfo.php

Treatment Study for Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa, Daniel le Grange, PhD
NOTE: Recruitment for this study is now closed.
The purpose of this study is to determine an effective psychosocial treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. This study is comparing two types of outpatient treatments, a family-based therapy and an individualized therapy. For more information about this study, please go to http://psychiatry.uchicago.edu/research/volunteers/anorexia.html

A two-stage study of eating attitudes and behaviors in Caucasian and non-Caucasian South African students, Daniel le Grange, PhD
The primary aim of this study is to provide information regarding eating pathology by investigating the presence and severity of unhealthy eating habits and attitudes among female and male students from different ethnic backgrounds in South Africa. The second goal is to establish the prevalence of diagnosable eating disorders among this study cohort and to gain a better understanding of the treatment needs for eating disorder patients in South Africa.

Eating Disorders Team Members

The core group of the Eating Disorders Program has worked in the area of eating disorders for the past decade.

Daniel le Grange, Ph.D. ( CV ) - Psychologist and Director
Angela Smyth, M.D. - Psychiatrist and Medical Director
Eunice Chen, Ph.D. – Instructor and Co-Director
Catherine Glunz, M.D. - Adolescent Medicine Specialist
Renee Hoste, Ph.D. - Instructor
Angela Celio Doyle, Ph.D. – Instructor and Program Coordinator
Peter Doyle, M.A. - Psychology Intern
Blaine Washington, B.A. - Project Coordinator
James Roehrig, M.A. - Project Coordinator
Kali Ludwig, B.A. - Research Assistant
Kristen Hewell, B.A. - Research Assistant

Appointments and Contact Information

If you would like detailed information about the Eating Disorders Program,
please call (773) 834-5677.

More Information About Eating Disorders

University of Chicago Children's Hospital Site