The experiences of a therapeutic relationship between dietitians and patients in UK eating disorder treatment: A qualitative study

Dietitians have a central role in eating disorder (ED) treatment, however few studies exist investigating therapeutic aspects of dietetic care and factors influencing the dietitian-patient relationship. To address the gap, this study aimed to use a qualitative description approach to explore the experiences of delivering and receiving dietetic care in ED treatment in the UK.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 6 specialist ED dietitians and focus groups with 11 recovered ED patients. Interviews were transcribed and inductive thematic analysis was performed to identify key themes describing the data.

Six key themes were generated: (1) Building trust, (2) Appropriate timing, (3) Adapting, (4) Dietitians as experts, (5) Boundaries, and (6) Difficult relationships. Participants highlighted the importance of building trust and considering nutritional risk and readiness in treatment approach. Patients expressed a desire for dietitians to have experience in EDs, facilitating understanding of their illness. However, dietitians identified the nature of EDs making their role challenging at times.

This study described various factors affecting dietetic care in EDs and provided a valuable insight into patients' perceptions of treatment. The findings support advancements in ED dietitians' knowledge and understanding, helping to enhance quality of care.