Harris Lauren M, Vanzhula Irina A, Cash Elizabeth D, Levinson Cheri A, Smith April R
Department of Psychological Sciences, Auburn University, 226 Thach Hall, Auburn, AL, 36849-9027, USA.
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
J Eat Disord. 2025 Jul 28;13(1):156. doi: 10.1186/s40337-025-01259-1.
Nomothetic (i.e., on average) eating disorder interventions generally provide insufficient guidance for managing suicidality. The present proof-of-concept study demonstrates how idiographic network models can be used to inform a modular, highly personalized approach to treatment for individuals experiencing suicidality in the context of Anorexia Nervosa spectrum disorders (ANSD).
Using 21 days of ecological momentary assessment data (105 assessment points), contemporaneous and temporal idiographic symptom networks were generated for three patients with unique clinical presentations of ANSD. For each patient, we identify the most central symptoms in their network, as well as potentially important bridge symptoms linking eating pathology and suicidality. We then provide guidelines for using this information to guide the delivery of evidence-based intervention strategies.
Intervention strategies may vary substantially depending upon which network statistics are used to guide treatment target selection. Bridge symptoms, or symptoms that serve as links between eating pathology and suicidality, may represent particularly promising intervention targets for individuals experiencing these conditions concurrently. Interventions which target the symptoms with the highest strength centrality may also yield symptom improvement throughout the entire network.
Although the viability of network-informed, personalized treatment is contingent upon continued intervention development research, this approach has the potential to improve treatment outcomes for individuals with co-occurring eating disorders and suicidality.
标准化（即平均而言）的饮食失调干预措施通常在管理自杀倾向方面提供的指导不足。本概念验证研究展示了如何使用个性化网络模型为神经性厌食症谱系障碍（ANSD）背景下有自杀倾向的个体提供一种模块化、高度个性化的治疗方法。
利用21天的生态瞬时评估数据（105个评估点），为三名具有独特ANSD临床表现的患者生成了同期和时间性的个性化症状网络。对于每位患者，我们确定其网络中最核心的症状，以及连接饮食病理学和自杀倾向的潜在重要桥梁症状。然后，我们提供利用这些信息指导循证干预策略实施的指南。
干预策略可能会因用于指导治疗目标选择的网络统计数据的不同而有很大差异。桥梁症状，即作为饮食病理学和自杀倾向之间联系的症状，可能是同时患有这些病症的个体特别有希望的干预目标。针对强度中心性最高的症状进行干预也可能会使整个网络的症状得到改善。
尽管基于网络的个性化治疗的可行性取决于持续的干预开发研究，但这种方法有可能改善同时患有饮食失调和自杀倾向的个体的治疗效果。
