Strengthening executive functioning to disrupt binge eating in youth – a commentary on Goldschmidt et al. (2024)

A recent publication in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry examined the role of executive functioning in treatment outcomes and engagement for adolescents receiving cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for binge eating. While some executive functioning facets, such as impulsive decision making and cognitive flexibility, predicted eating and weight outcomes in this sample, others including inhibition, sustained attention, and parent-reported global executive functioning scores did not. Interestingly, none of the executive functioning measures related to attrition in this study. This commentary highlights the importance of conducting research in youth with binge eating and why investigating potential moderators to enhance treatment outcomes matters. The role of parents as well as mHealth adaptations are noted. Practical clinical considerations and avenues for further research are discussed. Additional randomized clinical trials and high-quality replicable studies are needed to determine if enhancing executive functioning prior to initiating psychotherapy can improve outcomes for this population.