How Do Therapists Experience 20-Session Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (CBT-AN-20)? A Qualitative...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Mental Health
• Clinical Psychology
• Eating Disorder Treatment

Background:

• Manual-based psychotherapies are crucial for treating eating disorders like anorexia nervosa.
• Understanding therapists' experiences is key to identifying barriers and opportunities for disseminating new interventions.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (CBT-AN-20) is a novel 20-session intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore therapists' experiences delivering the CBT-AN-20 intervention.
• To identify potential dissemination barriers and facilitators for CBT-AN-20.
• To assess therapist perceptions of CBT-AN-20's feasibility and acceptability.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to ten therapists who had delivered CBT-AN-20.
• Data were collected using descriptive statistics for Likert-scale and demographic questions.
• Thematic analysis was employed for open-ended text responses.

Main Results:

• Therapists reported mixed experiences with CBT-AN-20, encompassing both positive and negative aspects.
• Key themes included feelings about the therapy over time, beliefs about patient suitability, and perceptions of the therapy's structure.
• CBT-AN-20 was perceived as fast-paced and action-packed with a clear structure, effective for motivated patients with less complex presentations.

Conclusions:

• CBT-AN-20 is feasible and broadly acceptable for therapists to deliver.
• Therapists' mixed feelings align with those reported for other anorexia nervosa psychotherapies.
• Enhanced training and supervision are recommended to bolster therapist confidence and fidelity in delivering CBT-AN-20.