TY - JOUR
T1 - How young people perceive change to occur in family therapy for anorexia nervosa
T2 - a qualitative study
AU - Baudinet, J.
AU - Eisler, I.
AU - Konstantellou, A.
AU - Simic, M.
AU - Schmidt, U.
N1 - Funding Information:
US receives salary support from the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London. She is also supported by the Medical Research Council/Arts and Humanities Research Council/Economic and Social Research Council Adolescence, Mental Health and the Developing Mind initiative as part of the EDIFY programme (grant number MR/W002418/1).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2024, The Author(s).
PY - 2024/1/22
Y1 - 2024/1/22
N2 - Background: Family therapy for anorexia nervosa (FT-AN) is the first line recommended treatment for child and adolescent anorexia nervosa. Despite evidence of its efficacy, little is understood about the treatment mechanisms. This study aimed to understand how young people who have received FT-AN perceive change to occur across treatment. Method: Fifteen adolescents (age 12–18 years) completed individual semi-structured interviews online. Recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four inter-connected themes describing the process of change during treatment were generated; (1) relationships as the vehicle for change, (2) an awakening, (3) through, not around – no way out, (4) the life beyond. Conclusions: Current data match relatively closely with theoretical models of FT-AN and emphasise the importance of building trust with all family members, including the young person. Additionally, supporting the family to create a trusting context in which there is a sense that the only way out of the illness is by going through it (rather than avoiding it) is critical. Empirical investigation of each of the described mechanisms is needed.
AB - Background: Family therapy for anorexia nervosa (FT-AN) is the first line recommended treatment for child and adolescent anorexia nervosa. Despite evidence of its efficacy, little is understood about the treatment mechanisms. This study aimed to understand how young people who have received FT-AN perceive change to occur across treatment. Method: Fifteen adolescents (age 12–18 years) completed individual semi-structured interviews online. Recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four inter-connected themes describing the process of change during treatment were generated; (1) relationships as the vehicle for change, (2) an awakening, (3) through, not around – no way out, (4) the life beyond. Conclusions: Current data match relatively closely with theoretical models of FT-AN and emphasise the importance of building trust with all family members, including the young person. Additionally, supporting the family to create a trusting context in which there is a sense that the only way out of the illness is by going through it (rather than avoiding it) is critical. Empirical investigation of each of the described mechanisms is needed.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85183414964&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s40337-024-00971-8
DO - 10.1186/s40337-024-00971-8
M3 - Article
SN - 2050-2974
VL - 12
JO - Journal of Eating Disorders
JF - Journal of Eating Disorders
IS - 1
M1 - 11
ER -