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Attitudes towards change and treatment outcome in eating disorders

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the influence of the stage of change on treatment outcome among patients suffering from eating disorders. Method: Sixty-seven women receiving free outpatient treatment for eating disorders initially participated in this study. Their demographic, lifetime and clinical characteristics, eating disorder symptoms and general distress were assesssed at baseline and after one year, together with the results of self-report questionnaire on Attitudes towards Change in Eating Disorders (ACTA). Results: High scores on the Maintenance subscale were protective for eating psychopathology as measured by the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-40), Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI-2) and the frequency of purging. Action was predictive of weight changes. Precontemplation and Relapse respectively predicted little change in EAT and the Bulimic Inventory Test Edinburgh (BITE). High Preparation scores were predictive of the level of EDI-2 Interoceptive Awareness, Maturity Fears, and Ascetism. Discussion: Our results suggest considering the stage of change as a useful outcome predictor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Eating Disorders Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Ciudad Real Hospital, Spain

    T. Rodríguez-Cano &  Luis Beato-Fernández

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  1. T. Rodríguez-Cano
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  2. Luis Beato-Fernández
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Correspondence to Luis Beato-Fernández.

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Rodríguez-Cano, T., Beato-Fernández, L. Attitudes towards change and treatment outcome in eating disorders. Eat Weight Disord 10, 59–65 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03353420

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