A pilot evaluation of group-based programming offered at a Canadian outpatient adult eating disorders clinic.
Eating disorder clinics across Canada place heavy reliance on group-based programming. However, little work has examined whether this modality of treatment is well-received by patients and results in clinical improvements. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate patient satisfaction and outcomes for group-based programming offered through an adult eating disorders clinic. Participants were 81 adults who met DSM-5 criteria for an eating disorder and participated in the study as part of the clinic's program evaluation. Participants received medical monitoring, psychiatric follow-up, adjunct nutrition and pre-psychological treatment, and participated in the clinic's core cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) group. Demographic information and weight were collected at intake. Participants also completed pre- and post-group programming measures of life satisfaction, depressive and anxiety symptoms, psychological symptoms of the eating disorder, and satisfaction with the programming. Participants' experienced a significant increase in satisfaction with life, and decreases in depressive symptoms and psychological symptoms of the eating disorder post-group. Adults endorsed feeling fairly satisfied with the group-based services provided. Results draw attention to the importance of program evaluation as an integral component of an adult outpatient eating disorder clinic by providing a voice for patients' views of the services received and program outcomes.
Adult Eating Disorders Program (AEDP) of Hotel Dieu Hospital, Adjunct Assistant Professor and Clinical Supervisor, Departments of Psychiatry, and Psychology, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: macneib@hdh.kari.net.
Brad A
BA
Mac Neil
AEDP of Hotel Dieu Hospital, Clinical Psychology Graduate Program, Queens University.
Pauline
P
Leung
AEDP of Hotel Dieu Hospital, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Pallavi
P
Nadkarni
AEDP of Hotel Dieu Hospital.
Laura
L
Stubbs
AEDP of Hotel Dieu Hospital.
Manya
M
Singh
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D001835:Body Weight; D002170:Canada; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT); Eating disorders; Group therapy; Patient satisfaction; Program evaluation