Parenting styles and treatment outcomes from family-based interventions for anorexia in adolescents

An exploration of the possible relationship between parenting styles and treatment outcomes from family-based interventions for anorexia nervosa in adolescents. (DClinPsy thesis; Soraya Rahall, Lucy Serpell)

Background

It has been suggested that more young people than ever before are waiting for and receiving treatment for eating disorders; AN specifically is thought to carry the highest risk of mortality of any psychiatric disorder. It is therefore highly important to understand which treatments might be the most effective for adolescents, their carers and family members. Given that a significant proportion of adolescents who receive family therapy treatment for anorexia nervosa do not demonstrate good recovery outcomes, it may be helpful to understand whether dynamics within the family (e.g. parenting style) may impact treatment. Whilst it is clear that involving families in the treatment process can have positive outcomes for adolescents, it is not yet known whether family-based treatments work simply due to the support and involvement of families, or whether specific processes take place in parents which leads to the treatment’s efficacy.

Aims and method

The study will aim to provide preliminary data regarding the possible relationship between parenting style and rates of recovery from anorexia in adolescents receiving family-based interventions, including FT-AN. Approximately 50 participants will be recruited through a CAMHS eating disorder service following acceptance for family therapy for anorexia nervosa (FT-AN) treatment. Families will complete questionnaires through an online link provided by the direct care team at the NHS site. Primary outcome measures will be weight gain of adolescent and EDE-Q score, and secondary outcome measures include the Parental Authority Questionnaire—Revised (PAQ-R; Reitman et al., 2002) and Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS; Chorpita et al., 2000).

Implications

This research will help to build on theory in the eating disorders field, and may provide insights with regards to the dynamics within a family that might contribute towards an adolescent’s recovery from an eating disorder. The findings of this study may contribute to a growing theoretical understanding of why some adolescents do not demonstrate good recovery outcomes following family-based interventions for AN.