Quality of friendships and motivation to change in adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa.
This study explored the relationship between quality of friendships, motivation to change and peer support among young people receiving inpatient treatment for Anorexia Nervosa (AN). Thirty participants were recruited from three inpatient wards. Questionnaires assessed motivational stage, friendship functions and characteristics of friendships specific to AN. Three friendship functions - Help, Intimacy and Self-Validation - were significantly and positively correlated with greater motivational stage. Describing friends on the ward as supportive of adherence to the treatment program was positively associated with greater motivational stage and higher quality friendships. The association between motivation, friendship quality and peer support in treatment identifies close and supportive friendships among young people with AN as a potential target to improve outcomes.
Sussex Partnership Foundation NHS Trust, Canterbury, CT2 8JY, UK. Electronic address: anjamuehlschlegel@nhs.net.
Anja
A
Malmendier-Muehlschlegel
South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust, London, SW17 7DJ, UK; Population Health Research Institute, St George's, University of London, SW17 0RE, UK.
Juliet K
JK
Rosewall
Population Health Research Institute, St George's, University of London, SW17 0RE, UK.
Jared G
JG
Smith
Priory Hospital Roehampton, London, SW15 5JJ, UK.
Pippa
P
Hugo
Population Health Research Institute, St George's, University of London, SW17 0RE, UK; University of Exeter, Dept of Clinical Neuroscience, UK; Care UK, London, NW71RH, UK.
Bryan
B
Lask
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Adolescence; Anorexia Nervosa; Friendships; Inpatient treatment; Motivation to change