Relation between increasing attachment security and weight gain: a clinical study of adolescents and their parents at an outpatient ward.

Purpose: We wanted to evaluate the impact of a relational focus in the treatment of adolescent ED-patients and their parents at an intensive outpatient ward, based on attachment theory, combined with a family approach and psychodynamic principles. Our aim was to investigate the distribution of different attachment styles among the adolescent ED-patients and their parents, and to find out if they could change by the treatment.

Methods: Swedish adolescents (n = 33; 3 boys, 30 girls) and their parents (n = 60; 34 mothers, 26 fathers) participated.