TY - JOUR
T1 - Multi-family therapy for eating disorders
T2 - A systematic scoping review of the quantitative and qualitative findings
AU - Baudinet, Julian
AU - Eisler, Ivan
AU - Dawson, Lisa
AU - Simic, Mima
AU - Schmidt, Ulrike
N1 - Funding Information:
Ulrike Schmidt is supported by a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator Award. She receives salary support from the NIHR Mental Health Biomedical Research Center (BRC) at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London (KCL).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors. International Journal of Eating Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - Objective: This study reviewed the quantitative and qualitative evidence-base for multi-family therapy (MFT) for eating disorders regarding change in physical and psychological symptoms, broader individual and family factors, and the experience of treatment. Method: A systematic scoping review was conducted. Four databases (PsycInfo, Medline, Embase, CENTRAL) and five grey literature databases were searched on 24th June 2021 for relevant peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and dissertations. No beginning time-point was specified. Only papers that presented quantitative or qualitative data were included. No restrictions on age or diagnosis were imposed. Studies were first mapped by study design, participant age, and treatment setting, then narratively synthesized. Results: Outcomes for 714 people who received MFT across 27 studies (one mixed-method, 17 quantitative and nine qualitative) were synthesized. MFT is associated with improvements in eating disorder symptomatology and weight gain for those who are underweight. It is also associated with improvements in other individual and family factors including comorbidities, self-esteem, quality of life, and some aspects of the experience of caregiving, although these findings are more mixed. MFT is generally experienced as both helpful and challenging due to the content addressed and intensive group process. Discussion: MFT is associated with significant improvements in eating disorder symptoms across the lifespan and improvement in broader individual and family factors. The evidence base is small and studies are generally underpowered. Larger, higher-quality studies are needed, as is research investigating the unique contribution of MFT on outcomes, given it is typically an adjunctive treatment.
AB - Objective: This study reviewed the quantitative and qualitative evidence-base for multi-family therapy (MFT) for eating disorders regarding change in physical and psychological symptoms, broader individual and family factors, and the experience of treatment. Method: A systematic scoping review was conducted. Four databases (PsycInfo, Medline, Embase, CENTRAL) and five grey literature databases were searched on 24th June 2021 for relevant peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and dissertations. No beginning time-point was specified. Only papers that presented quantitative or qualitative data were included. No restrictions on age or diagnosis were imposed. Studies were first mapped by study design, participant age, and treatment setting, then narratively synthesized. Results: Outcomes for 714 people who received MFT across 27 studies (one mixed-method, 17 quantitative and nine qualitative) were synthesized. MFT is associated with improvements in eating disorder symptomatology and weight gain for those who are underweight. It is also associated with improvements in other individual and family factors including comorbidities, self-esteem, quality of life, and some aspects of the experience of caregiving, although these findings are more mixed. MFT is generally experienced as both helpful and challenging due to the content addressed and intensive group process. Discussion: MFT is associated with significant improvements in eating disorder symptoms across the lifespan and improvement in broader individual and family factors. The evidence base is small and studies are generally underpowered. Larger, higher-quality studies are needed, as is research investigating the unique contribution of MFT on outcomes, given it is typically an adjunctive treatment.
KW - adolescent
KW - adult
KW - anorexia nervosa
KW - bulimia nervosa
KW - caregiver
KW - child
KW - eating disorders
KW - family-based treatment (FBT)
KW - Maudsley family therapy
KW - multi-family therapy (MFT)
KW - young adult
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117392785&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/eat.23616
DO - 10.1002/eat.23616
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85117392785
SN - 0276-3478
VL - 54
SP - 2095
EP - 2120
JO - International Journal of Eating Disorders
JF - International Journal of Eating Disorders
IS - 12
ER -
