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Updated: May 25, 2026
04:48
Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System
Published on: May 8, 2018
Changes in Parental Well-Being Following Intensive Day Programme Treatment for Restrictive Eating Disorders in
Lucinda J Gledhill1,2, Chiara Calissano3, William Thorpe1
1Maudsley Centre for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders (MCCAED), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Summary
Intensive day treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa (AN) significantly reduced parental anxiety, depression, and functional impairment. Parental self-efficacy did not change, but the program showed value for family well-being.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Family Therapy
Background:
- Parents of adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) experience significant distress.
- This distress includes anxiety, depression, functional impairment, and low self-efficacy.
- Intensive day treatment programmes (ITP) offer a structured approach for adolescents with AN.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine changes in parental anxiety, depression, functional impairment, and self-efficacy.
- To assess the impact of an ITP for adolescents with AN on their parents' psychological well-being.
- To identify predictors of parental well-being changes within the ITP context.
Main Methods:
- 71 parents of adolescents in an ITP completed standardized measures at assessment and discharge.
- Measures included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS), and General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE).
Main Results:
- Parents reported significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and functional impairment from assessment to discharge.
- No significant changes were observed in parental self-efficacy scores.
- No baseline factors of the adolescents predicted changes in parental well-being or functioning.
Conclusions:
- Intensive day treatment programmes (ITP) may lead to modest but significant improvements in parental mental health and daily functioning.
- These findings support the value of parent-inclusive, structured day treatment for families affected by AN.
- Quantitative results corroborate previous qualitative findings on the benefits of ITP for parents.
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