Attitudes towards change and treatment outcome in eating disorders.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of the stage of change on treatment outcome among patients suffering from eating disorders.


METHODS
Sixty-seven women receiving free outpatient treatment for eating disorders initially participated in this study. Their demographic, lifetime and clinical characteristics, eating disorder symptoms and general distress were assesssed at baseline and after one year, together with the results of self-report questionnaire on Attitudes towards Change in Eating Disorders (ACTA).


RESULTS
High scores on the Maintenance subscale were protective for eating psychopathology as measured by the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-40), Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI-2) and the frequency of purging. Action was predictive of weight changes. Precontemplation and Relapse respectively predicted little change in EAT and the Bulimic Inventory Test Edinburgh (BITE). High Preparation scores were predictive of the level of EDI-2 Interoceptive Awareness, Maturity Fears, and Ascetism.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest considering the stage of change as a useful outcome predictor.
Rodríguez-Cano
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T
Eating Disorders Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Ciudad Real Hospital, Spain.
Beato-Fernández
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L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D011594:Psychometrics; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires