Interoceptive awareness and ineffectiveness are central symptoms of eating disorders (EDs) that may have implications for treatment outcome, a recent study found. Data from ED patients (n=5,193) who completed the Eating Disorders Inventory−2 (EDI-2) before and after inpatient treatment were used to identify symptoms (ie, body dissatisfaction) and characteristics (ie, perfectionism) central to EDs. Researchers found:

• Interoceptive awareness and ineffectiveness, but not body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness, were central to the ED network at admission and discharge.
• Although effect sizes were small, multiple regression analyses revealed that ineffectiveness at admission predicted discharge body mass index (BMI) (over and above interoceptive awareness and BMI at admission) and discharge depression (over and above interoceptive awareness and depression at admission), but not discharge anxiety.