Treating PTSD with Imagery Rescripting in underweight eating disorder patients: a multiple baseline case series study

Background: Eating disorder patients with posttraumatic stress disorder have worse treatment results regarding their eating disorder than patients without posttraumatic stress disorder. Many eating disorder patients with co-morbid posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms are not treated for posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms during an underweight state. We propose that treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder is possible for underweight patients and that their trauma symptoms decrease with the use of Imagery Rescripting. We also investigated whether treatment of trauma influences eating disorder pathology in general and the process of weight gain specifically. 

Method: Ten patients in clinical treatment (BMI 14–16.5) participated. A multiple baseline design was used, with baseline varying from 6 to 10 weeks, a 6-week treatment phase, a 3-week follow-up period and a 3-month follow-up measurement. Data were analysed with mixed regression. 

Results: Evidence was found that Imagery Rescripting had strong positive effects on posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms without interfering with eating disorder treatment. Positive effects were also found on a range of secondary emotional and cognitive measures. 

Conclusion: Imagery Rescripting of traumatic memories is a possible and safe intervention for underweight eating disorder patients. It also had positive clinical effects.