From fixing to connecting: parents' experiences supporting adult children with eating disorders.

Background: Unlike evidence-based guidelines that exist for families of youth with eating disorders, little is known about the optimal role for families of adult patients. Given issues of patient autonomy and confidentiality, it is common for family members to report high levels of distress, confusion about how to offer support, and feelings of exclusion. Nevertheless, interactions with parents play a critical role in the recovery process.

Self-compassion promotes positive mental health in women with anorexia nervosa: A two-week daily diary study.

Despite the importance of positive mental health, little is known about its facilitators in people with eating disorders (EDs). Drawing on past research, we hypothesized that self-compassion might be a contributing factor to positive mental health in individuals with EDs. In a two-week daily diary study of women ( = 32) with anorexia nervosa, we investigated whether self-compassion levels-on average, on a given day, and from one day to the next-predicted social safeness (i.

Collaborative care in eating disorders treatment: exploring the role of clinician distress, self-compassion, and compassion for others.

Background: Collaborative care is described as showing curiosity and concern for patient experiences, providing choices, and supporting patient autonomy. In contrast, in directive care, the clinician has authority and the patient is expected to adhere to a treatment plan over which they have limited influence. In the treatment of eating disorders, collaborative care has been shown to be more acceptable and produce better outcomes than directive care.

Path to practising self-compassion in a tertiary eating disorders treatment program: A qualitative analysis.

Objective: Although self-compassion has been shown to facilitate eating disorder (ED) remission, significant barriers to acquiring this skill have been identified. This is particularly true for tertiary care populations, where ED behaviours provide a valued identity and readiness issues are highly salient. In this research, the voices and perspectives of patients who have recovered as well as those in later stages of tertiary care treatment were captured using qualitative methods.

The power of feeling seen: perspectives of individuals with eating disorders on receiving validation.

Background: A common complaint of individuals suffering from mental health conditions is feeling invalidated or misunderstood by care providers. This is notable, given that non-collaborative care has been linked to poor engagement, low motivation and treatment non-adherence. This study examined how receiving validation from care providers is experienced by individuals who have an eating disorder (ED) and the impact of receiving validation on the recovery journey.

Is experiencing care as collaborative associated with enhanced outcomes in inpatient eating disorders treatment?

In eating disorders inpatient care, mandatory treatment components are central to effective service delivery. Thus, fostering a collaborative care environment that supports autonomy, competence, and connection can be challenging. This study examined whether collaborative care is associated with better outcomes in adult inpatient treatment and explored a possible determinant of collaborative care, the manner in which mandatory treatment components were delivered (e.

Barriers to self-compassion in the eating disorders: The factor structure of the fear of self-compassion scale.

Unlabelled: Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) endorse fears of being self-compassionate, as assessed by the Fears of Compassion for Self scale (FCSelf; Gilbert, McEwan, Matos, & Rivis, 2011), and higher fears predict poorer treatment outcomes. Previous research using the FCSelf demonstrated a single factor solution in a non-clinical sample.

Objectives: This research sought to explore the factor structure of the FCSelf in a clinical population and to examine correlations with associated constructs.

Where does it hurt? Location of pain, psychological distress, and alexithymia among outpatients seeking psychotherapy.

Physical pain is prevalent among psychiatric outpatients, yet there has been little research regarding the types of pain reported. The purpose of this study was to survey outpatients seeking psychotherapy regarding pain locations and to examine associations between number of pain locations and psychiatric distress and alexithymia. Two hundred and seventeen patients were recruited from three Canadian hospitals that offer outpatient psychiatry services and short-term therapies.

Is stage of change enough? Confidence as a predictor of outcome in inpatient treatment for eating disorders.

Objective: While stage of change has been shown to be a robust predictor of eating disorder treatment outcome, little attention has been paid to the role of confidence. This study sought to better understand the role of confidence and the possible interaction it may have with stage of change in promoting eating disorder symptom change.

Method: Participants were adult women in inpatient treatment for eating disorders.

Moderating effects of family environment on overweight/obese adolescents' dietary behaviours.

Background: The familial environment can influence adolescents' risk for obesity. However, we do not fully understand the mechanisms through which parents can influence overweight/obese adolescents' dietary behaviours, specifically whether parenting practices (e.g.

The relation between patient characteristics and their carers' use of a directive versus collaborative support stance.

Objectives: Collaborative support provided by carers (family and friends) of individuals with eating disorders has been shown to be integral to patient motivation and clinical outcome. Little is known about factors that contribute to carers' use of collaborative, as opposed to directive, support stance. This exploratory research investigated associations between patient characteristics and carers' support beliefs and behaviors.

A Readiness Ruler for Assessing Motivation to Change in People with Eating Disorders.

Objective: We examined the psychometric properties of the Eating Disorder Readiness Ruler a simple self-report instrument designed to enable rapid assessment of readiness to change problematic eating behaviours in people with clinical eating disorders.

Method: We administered the ED-RR, the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire and a measure of autonomous and controlled motivation for change to 206 individuals receiving outpatient treatment for an eating disorder.

Results: A principal axis factoring analysis of the ED-RR yielded a significant two-factor solution (explaining 59% of variance)-one factor pertaining to restriction and body image preoccupation (four items), the other to binge-eating and vomiting symptoms (two items).

Social support satisfaction in adults with eating disorders: Does stance matter?

Although the role of social support is clearly established in the recovery of youth with eating disorders, little is known about factors that contribute to support satisfaction and improved treatment outcome in adults. This study examined the contribution of patient factors and perceived support stance used by family and friends in determining social support satisfaction. Individuals meeting DSM-IV criteria for an eating disorder (n = 182) completed measures of eating disorder and psychiatric severity, interpersonal functioning, perceived support stance used by family and friends, and social support satisfaction.

Support stance in carers of adults with eating disorders: Factors associated with collaborative versus directive approaches.

Unlabelled: The support provided by family and friends is integral to patient motivation and clinical outcomes across health care populations. However, little is known about factors that promote or interfere with the type of support offered.

Objective: This research examined factors associated with collaborative versus directive support among carers of adults with eating disorders.

Estimating readiness for change in anorexia nervosa: comparing clients, clinicians, and research assessors.

Objective: This research compared the relative ability of clients, clinicians, and research assessors in estimating readiness for change in individuals with anorexia nervosa.

Method: Fifty-six individuals with a current or past diagnosis of anorexia nervosa made ratings of the extent to which they perceived themselves to be ready for treatment and recovery. Clinicians and research assessors made the same ratings based on their impressions following clinical and research assessments, respectively.