title: A qualitative analysis of aspects of treatment that adolescents with anorexia identify as helpful.
abstract: This study aimed to identify aspects of treatment that adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) believe are helpful or unhelpful. Adolescent females receiving treatment for AN or subthreshold AN (n=21) were prompted during semi-structured interviews to generate responses to open-ended questions on what they felt would be most helpful or unhelpful in treating adolescents with eating disorders. Eight codes were developed and the two most frequently endorsed categories were (1) Alliance, where the therapist demonstrates clinical expertise and also expresses interest in the patient (n=21, 100.0%), and (2) Client Involvement in treatment (n=16, 76.2%). These top two categories were shared by participants with AN versus subthreshold AN and participants with high versus low readiness to change their dietary restriction behaviours. Development of the coding scheme and sample participant responses will be discussed. The integration of identified factors into empirically supported treatments for adolescent AN, such as Family-based Treatment, will be considered. This study provides initial information regarding aspects of treatment that adolescents identify as most helpful or unhelpful in their treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zaitsoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Electronic address: rpullmer@sfu.ca.
authors.forename: Rachelle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pullmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Rosanne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Menna
authors.affiliation: Eating Disorders Program, Saint Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Josie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000855:Anorexia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Adolescents; Alliance; Anorexia nervosa; Treatment