Examining DBT Day Treatment in Treating Mood Dysregulation Expectancy and Anxiety in Women Diagnosed with Eating Disorders

Eating disorders (EDs), particularly anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), are characterized by emotional and behavioral disturbances in eating patterns and body image that result in significant distress and functional impairment (as reported by APA, (APA dictionary of psychology, American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, 2015)). Ben-Porath and colleagues (Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy 40:115-123, 2010) have researched the effectiveness of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) day treatment program in reducing negative mood regulation and anxiety among women diagnosed with AN, BN, and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). The current study extended past research on the effectiveness of DBT day treatment by analyzing the improvement in these patients’ scores on the beck anxiety inventory (BAI) and the generalized expectancy for negative mood regulation (NMR) Scale after treatment. We compared pre- and post-treatment scores using paired samples t-tests. We also examined rates of clinically significant change in these areas post-treatment. The results indicated that participants demonstrated a reduction in expectancies for negative mood dysregulation and anxiety after undergoing DBT day treatment for EDs. Limitations and implications of this study are discussed

Comparison of two methods of determining central corneal vault under a scleral lens: Estimation by slit lamp biomicroscope and anterior segment OCT

Purpose: The aim of this study was to ascertain if there is agreement in the measurement of central corneal vault (CCV) under a scleral lens, between estimations made using a slit lamp biomicroscope (SLB) and measurements made using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). Method: 30 images were taken of CCV under various scleral lenses using a SLB and an AS-OCT. Estimations of CCV from SLB photographs were made using known thicknesses of the scleral lenses used and imagej software. The in-built measurement callipers was used to measure CCV on the AS-OCT. Right eyes were imaged on the AS-OCT first and the SLB second and vice versa for left eyes. Results: Bland-Altman analysis of scleral lens thicknesses as measured with a radiuscope thickness callipers and measured with the AS-OCT showed fair agreement (mean difference 1.88 microns and lower and upper limits of agreement were -47.36 and 51.12 microns respectively) and so it was assumed that the AS-OCT was making reasonably accurate measurements of the CCV. Bland Altman analysis of the agreement between the two methods of measuring CCV showed a mean difference of 84 microns and the lower and upper limits of agreement were -174.72 and 342.72 microns respectively. Conclusions: There is a huge variation in the estimation of CCV as made by SLB when compared to measurements taken by AS-OCT. This variation cannot be explained by; differences in corneal curvature, magnification of the scleral lens, angle at which the illumination is at for the SLB estimation, differences in corneal location between the two measurements or lens settling. It is recommended that CCV should not be estimated using a SLB as these estimations appear to be highly unreliable