Motivation to change in eating disorders: clinical and therapeutic implications.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to understand the clinical impact of the motivational stage of change on the psychopathology and symptomatology of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS).


METHODS
The participants were 218 eating disorder (ED) patients (58 AN, 95 BN and 65 EDNOS), consecutively admitted to our hospital. All patients fulfilled DSM-IV criteria for these disorders.


RESULTS
Assessment measures included the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI), Bulimic Investigation Test Edinburgh (BITE), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), four analogue scales of motivational stage, as well as a number of other clinical and psychopathological indices.


RESULTS
Our results indicated higher motivation for change in BN than in AN and EDNOS patients (p < 0.05). For all groups, motivation to change was predicted by chronological age (p < 0.05). However, a longer duration of illness was only predictive of the motivational levels in EDNOS (p < 0.05) patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared to BN, AN and EDNOS patients are most resistant to change and the younger these patients are, the less likely they are to be motivated to change their disturbed eating behaviour.
Casasnovas
C
C
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain.
Fernández-Aranda
F
F
Granero
R
R
Krug
I
I
Jiménez-Murcia
S
S
Bulik
C M
CM
Vallejo-Ruiloba
J
J
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004232:Diuretics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D054368:Laxatives / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009042:Motivation; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D004232:Diuretics; D054368:Laxatives