Readiness for change and short-term outcomes of female adolescents in residential treatment for anorexia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if readiness for change (RFC) at admission predicted length of stay (LOS) and short-term outcomes among female adolescents in residential treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN).


METHODS
Using a prospective cohort design to collect data from participants (N = 65) at admission and discharge, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression tested whether RFC on admission predicted time in LOS to a favorable short-term outcome--a composite endpoint based on minimum criteria for weight gain, drive for thinness, depression, anxiety, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).


RESULTS
Participants with low RFC had a mean survival time to a favorable short-term outcome of 59.4 days compared to 34.1 days for those with high RFC (log rank = 8.44, df = 1, p = .003). The probability of a favorable short-term outcome was 5.30 times greater for participants with high RFC.


CONCLUSIONS
Readiness for change is a useful predictor of a favorable short-term outcome and should be considered in the assessment profile of patients with AN.
McHugh
Matthew D
MD
The Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 418 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. mchughm@nursing.upenn.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007902:Length of Stay; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D015143:Philadelphia; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015430:Weight Gain