Factors related to motivation for change in adolescents with eating disorders.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between motivation for change and eating disorder symptom severity, the quality of the parent-adolescent relationship and depressive symptom severity in adolescents with eating disorders.


METHODS
Fifty-four female adolescents with eating disorders (mean age = 15.8 years, SD = 1.6) participated in this research prior to beginning outpatient treatment. Participants completed the Motivational Stages of Change for Adolescents Recovering from an Eating Disorder, the Eating Disorders Inventory-2, the Relations with Parents scale from the Behavioral Assessment System for Children and Adolescents Self-report and the Child Depression Inventory.


RESULTS
Greater motivation for change was associated with less body dissatisfaction, more adaptive parent-adolescent relationships and fewer depressive symptoms. The association between motivation for change and adolescents' perception of their relationship with their parents remained significant even after controlling for age, body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Involvement of families in treatment for adolescents with eating disorders may serve to enhance their motivation to recover.
Zaitsoff
Shannon L
SL
The Teen Health Centre, Windsor, Ontario N8X 1K5, Canada.
Taylor
Andrew
A
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001828:Body Image; D001835:Body Weight; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D010045:Outpatients; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires