Experiential acceptance, motivation for recovery, and treatment outcome in eating disorders.
OBJECTIVE
This study sought to test whether the relationship between experiential acceptance (EA) and treatment outcome among eating disorder (ED) patients was mediated by motivation.


METHODS
Upon admission to a residential ED treatment facility, female patients completed measures of EA, motivation, and baseline ED symptom severity (covariate); symptom severity was reassessed at discharge.


RESULTS
Higher levels of baseline EA predicted significantly greater symptom reduction during treatment. Moreover, results from bootstrapped mediation analyses indicated that the relationship between EA and treatment outcome was partially mediated by motivation: increased EA was associated with greater motivation to give up ED behaviors at the beginning of treatment, and this led to greater symptom reduction from admission to discharge.


CONCLUSIONS
Motivation appears to be one mechanism by which EA facilitates improved treatment outcomes in EDs. Further development of interventions that promote EA as a means for improving motivation and subsequent ED treatment response may be warranted.
Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Stratton Hall, 3141 Chestnut Street, Suite 119, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. hme27@drexel.edu.
Hallie M
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8456-3465
HM
Espel
Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Stratton Hall, 3141 Chestnut Street, Suite 119, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
Stephanie P
SP
Goldstein
Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Stratton Hall, 3141 Chestnut Street, Suite 119, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
Stephanie M
SM
Manasse
Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Stratton Hall, 3141 Chestnut Street, Suite 119, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
Adrienne S
AS
Juarascio
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012114:Residential Treatment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
Anorexia; Bulimia; Experiential acceptance; Motivation