Individual psychotherapy for children and adolescents with an eating disorder from historical precedent toward evidence-based practice.
This article reviews the place of individual therapy in the suite of treatment services required by children and adolescents with an eating disorder. Individual therapy is defined and traced from historical origins in psychoanalytic practice with later important modifications by Hilda Bruch and Arthur Crisp. More recent developments, based primarily on cognitive and learning theory are discussed, as is the timing of individual therapy with respect to illness stage and patient motivation. Evidence for therapy effectiveness is reviewed where possible. At present, treatment evidence in the pediatric mental health field must be inferred from adult research.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Western Australia, Department of Paediatrics, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, GPO Box D184, Perth WA 6001, Australia. brettm@ichr.uwa.edu.au
Brett M
BM
McDermott
Chris
C
Harris
Peter
P
Gibbon
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000639:trends*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000639:trends*