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Parental strategies used in the family meal session of family‐based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa: Links with treatment outcomes
Author(s) -
White Hannah J.,
Haycraft Emma,
Madden Sloane,
Rhodes Paul,
MiskovicWheatley Jane,
Wallis Andrew,
Kohn Michael,
Meyer Caroline
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.22647
Subject(s) - meal , psychology , weight gain , psychopathology , family therapy , anorexia nervosa , eating disorders , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , body weight , medicine , endocrinology
ABSTRACT Objective Examine relationships between parental mealtime strategies used in the family meal session of family‐based treatment (FBT) and adolescent outcomes at EOT (session 20). Method Eighteen families with an adolescent receiving FBT‐AN participated. Parental strategies during videoed family meals were assessed using a family mealtime coding system. Change scores were calculated for both adolescent %EBW and EDE scores. Results Increased use of parental direct and non‐direct eating prompts during the family meal was associated with greater adolescent weight gain at EOT. Use of parental mealtime strategies was not associated with any significant change in adolescent eating psychopathology at EOT. Discussion Parental verbal eating prompts during the family meal may be effective in promoting short‐term weight gain. During the family meal session, parents should be encouraged to maintain a direct focus on their adolescent child's eating behaviour which may assist their child with food consumption and potential weight gain. Further research examining food‐based interactions among parents and their adolescent child with AN is needed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.(Int J Eat Disord 2017; 50:433–436)