Transdiagnostic Approach to Food Avoidance After Bariatric Surgery: A Case Study

This study describes treatment of an adult woman, referred to as “Carla,” who was referred for psychological intervention following bariatric surgery due to recurrent nausea and vomiting along with food avoidance. Carla evinced symptoms including dietary range restriction, failure to progress to recommended caloric intake, fear of vomiting, and body dissatisfaction. She was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, along with comorbidities including dysthymia, body dysmorphia, and subsyndromal specific phobia of vomiting (SPOV). Treatment included 20 weekly sessions utilizing a transdiagnostic approach to treatment, which has been shown to be efficacious in management of multiple comorbidities. The limited body of research and results of this case suggest expansion of the criteria for avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) to allow for inclusion of this constellation of symptoms within bariatric patients.