Role of Depression and Anxiety in Eating Disorder Symptomatology in Higher Levels of Care for Girls With Anorexia Nervosa

Objectives Although the prevalence of affective comorbidities with eating disorders (ED) has been well established, the three‐way relation between ED, depression, and anxiety symptoms has not been explored in an intensive adolescent treatment setting. Methods This study analyzed data from a sample of teenage girls with anorexia nervosa in higher levels of care ( n = 457) to assess the relations between changes in ED symptoms, depression, and anxiety over the course of ED treatment. Results This study demonstrated that improvements in depression and anxiety are significantly associated with improvement in ED symptoms. Conclusion Findings support the importance of routine assessments for depression and anxiety among adolescents with anorexia nervosa in higher levels of care and a transdiagnostic approach to treatment that addresses shared underlying mechanisms. Future research that aims to uncover mediators and moderators of these relations is warranted to enhance clinical efforts.