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Outcome parameters associated with perceived helpfulness of family‐based treatment for adolescent eating disorders
Author(s) -
Singh Simar,
Accurso Erin C.,
Hail Lisa,
Goldschmidt Andrea B.,
Le Grange Daniel
Publication year - 2018
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.22863
Subject(s) - helpfulness , clinical psychology , psychology , eating disorders , psychiatry , medicine , social psychology
Abstract Objective Family‐based treatment (FBT) is an efficacious treatment for adolescent eating disorders, yet it is not routinely implemented in clinical practice. Given that consumers play a role in treatment selection, this study sought to examine families’ perspectives on FBT and remission markers associated with increased treatment satisfaction across families. Method Participants were 40 adolescents and 43 caregivers who received outpatient FBT. FBT helpfulness was assessed using a treatment follow‐up questionnaire, and eating disorder symptomatology was assessed using percent expected body weight (%EBW) and the eating disorder examination (EDE). Regression analyses were used to assess whether changes in symptoms from baseline to end‐of‐treatment (EOT) were significantly associated with helpfulness reports. Results On average, patients and their parents perceived FBT as “quite helpful” and “extremely helpful,” respectively. Improvements in all EDE subscales, with the exception of restraint, were significantly associated with adolescent report of helpfulness (all p < .05); increase in %EBW was significantly associated with maternal report of helpfulness ( p = .03). There were no significant findings for paternal report. Discussion Both patients and their parents perceived FBT as helpful, but patients seemed to prioritize cognitive improvements while mothers prioritized physical improvements in rating their satisfaction with FBT.