Maintaining change following eating disorder treatment.

Abstract

Residential eating disorder treatment involves emotional, financial, and time commitments from clients, staff, and the health care system. At discharge, most clients have made substantial nutritional, social, and psychological changes. However, maintaining these changes when intensive support is no longer available represents a significant challenge, and it is common for individuals to slip back into previous eating disorder patterns. Interviews with 32 individuals were conducted 6 months after discharge. Qualitative analyses revealed a pattern of factors that facilitated and hindered recovery. These factors were integrated with past research findings to develop a conceptual model about how changes are maintained. Recommendations regarding ways that health care professionals can assist with the transition from intensive treatment to community living are discussed.