Treating Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) Using Family-Based Treatment

Although Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) was formally introduced in DSM-5, no specialized intervention has yet been empirically studied. This randomized controlled crossover trial (RCCT) will test the feasibility and acceptability of a novel intervention, Family-Based Treatment of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (FBT-ARFID) for patients ages 5-12 years old.

Potential subjects aged 5 years to 12 years, 11 months old with anorexia nervosa (AN) diagnosed with ARFID and their families will be recruited will be recruited through Stanford University, pediatricians, mental health experts, clinics treating EDs, and local parents' groups. Those eligible for the program will be invited to read and sign informed consent forms and complete the baseline assessment. They will then be randomized to the FBT-ARFID program either immediately after their screening or 3 months after assessment (i.e., to a usual care group). FBT-ARFID consists of 22 sessions over a 6-month period. There will be 3 major assessment time points for those in the FBT-ARFID Arm: Baseline, 3 months into treatment, and EOT. There will be 4 major assessment time points for those in Usual Care: Baseline, transition to treatment (3 months after the usual care period is complete), 3 months into treatment, and EOT. Both the child and the parent will complete measures at these time points. In addition, patients and parents will participate in ongoing qualitative assessments before treatment (BL), throughout treatment (every other session), and at EOT.

individual with ARFID's symptom severity at end of condition according to the Pica, ARFID, and Rumination Disorder Interview (PARDI). The symptom severity subscale will be used where the higher the score, the greater the ARFID severity. A total of 17 items rated on a scale of 0 to 6 are included in this subscale and the average is reported.

Inclusion Criteria: children meeting DSM-V criteria for ARFID children between the ages of 5 to 12 years old Exclusion Criteria: any medical complications or severe mental disorder (psychosis, low-functioning Autism) that may reduce compliance with the study procedures or require more intensive care to manage the symptoms a severe parental mental disorder (e.g., psychotic depression, psychosis, substance dependence)