Clinical Handbook of Complex and Atypical Eating Disorders

Treating patients with eating disorders (ED) is a notoriously challenging undertaking. Patients tend to be medically compromised and have a deep ambivalence towards their symptoms, and treatment dropout and relapse rates are high. Further complicating matters, a sizable number of patients present with additional characteristics that set them apart from the patients for whom empirically supported treatments were developed. Up to 50% of current ED diagnoses are classified as atypical and do not fit into existing diagnostic categories, and many more present with complex comorbidities. Clinical Handbook of Complex and Atypical Eating Disorders brings together into one comprehensive resource what is known about an array of complicating factors for patients with ED, serving as an accessible introduction to each of the comorbidities and symptom presentations highlighted in the volume. The first section of the book focuses on the treatment of ED in the presence of various comorbidities, and the second section explores the treatment of ED with atypical symptom presentations. The third section focuses on how to adapt ED treatments for diverse populations typically neglected in controlled treatment trials: LGBT, pediatric, male, ethnically diverse, and older adult populations. Each chapter includes a review of clinical presentation, prevalence, treatment approaches, resources, conclusions, and future directions. Cutting edge and practical, Clinical Handbook of Complex and Atypical Eating Disorders will appeal to researchers and health professionals involved in treating ED.