Family members’ reflections upon a family-based inpatient treatment program for adolescent anorexia nervosa: a thematic analysis
Abstract Background Family-based outpatient treatment is usually recommended as the treatment of choice when a child develops anorexia nervosa. However, some young persons will inevitably require higher levels of care. Qualitative research on family perspectives may help inform strategies to adapt f...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Eating Disorders |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-020-00360-x |
| _version_ | 1797934669325402112 |
|---|---|
| author | Jan-Vegard Nilsen Øyvind Rø Inger Halvorsen Hanne Weie Oddli Trine Wiig Hage |
| author_facet | Jan-Vegard Nilsen Øyvind Rø Inger Halvorsen Hanne Weie Oddli Trine Wiig Hage |
| author_sort | Jan-Vegard Nilsen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Family-based outpatient treatment is usually recommended as the treatment of choice when a child develops anorexia nervosa. However, some young persons will inevitably require higher levels of care. Qualitative research on family perspectives may help inform strategies to adapt family-based practices into intensified treatment settings. Our overarching aim was to investigate family members’ perspectives following a family-based inpatient treatment program for adolescent anorexia nervosa and to discuss clinical implications for treatment providers. Methods A subsample of eight families taking part in a naturalistic outcome study at a specialized eating disorder unit participated in the study (8 patients, 14 parents, and 10 siblings). The thematic analyses were inductive, predominantly descriptive, and guided by a multi-perspective framework. Results Five main themes were identified: 1: Expectations and evaluation of needs. Entering treatment from different vantage points, 2: Interactions with peers during the admission as highly beneficial or problematic, 3: Perspectives on staff expertise and the eating disorder unit’s structure, 4: Influencing within family relationships in different ways, and 5: Being admitted is at best only half the job: reflections on leaving the eating disorder unit. Conclusions Our study offers insight into how former inpatients and their family members experienced an inpatient treatment program designed to align treatment with the central elements of an outpatient family-based treatment approach for adolescent anorexia nervosa. Overall, the findings support emerging research underlining the necessity of strengthening the family-based treatment approach within intensified treatment settings. Moreover, the results emphasized the need for more knowledge on how to optimize inpatient treatment as well as the importance of providing smooth transitions between care settings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T18:02:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-447b9bbafd98483097275e6e3b5dc0c7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-2974 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T18:02:34Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Eating Disorders |
| spelling | doaj.art-447b9bbafd98483097275e6e3b5dc0c72023-02-02T14:28:42ZengBMCJournal of Eating Disorders2050-29742021-01-019111410.1186/s40337-020-00360-xFamily members’ reflections upon a family-based inpatient treatment program for adolescent anorexia nervosa: a thematic analysisJan-Vegard Nilsen0Øyvind Rø1Inger Halvorsen2Hanne Weie Oddli3Trine Wiig Hage4Department of Psychology, University of OsloRegional Department for Eating Disorders, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalRegional Department for Eating Disorders, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalDepartment of Psychology, University of OsloRegional Department for Eating Disorders, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalAbstract Background Family-based outpatient treatment is usually recommended as the treatment of choice when a child develops anorexia nervosa. However, some young persons will inevitably require higher levels of care. Qualitative research on family perspectives may help inform strategies to adapt family-based practices into intensified treatment settings. Our overarching aim was to investigate family members’ perspectives following a family-based inpatient treatment program for adolescent anorexia nervosa and to discuss clinical implications for treatment providers. Methods A subsample of eight families taking part in a naturalistic outcome study at a specialized eating disorder unit participated in the study (8 patients, 14 parents, and 10 siblings). The thematic analyses were inductive, predominantly descriptive, and guided by a multi-perspective framework. Results Five main themes were identified: 1: Expectations and evaluation of needs. Entering treatment from different vantage points, 2: Interactions with peers during the admission as highly beneficial or problematic, 3: Perspectives on staff expertise and the eating disorder unit’s structure, 4: Influencing within family relationships in different ways, and 5: Being admitted is at best only half the job: reflections on leaving the eating disorder unit. Conclusions Our study offers insight into how former inpatients and their family members experienced an inpatient treatment program designed to align treatment with the central elements of an outpatient family-based treatment approach for adolescent anorexia nervosa. Overall, the findings support emerging research underlining the necessity of strengthening the family-based treatment approach within intensified treatment settings. Moreover, the results emphasized the need for more knowledge on how to optimize inpatient treatment as well as the importance of providing smooth transitions between care settings.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-020-00360-xEating disordersAnorexia nervosaFamily-based treatmentInpatient treatmentQualitative researchHigher levels of care |
| spellingShingle | Jan-Vegard Nilsen Øyvind Rø Inger Halvorsen Hanne Weie Oddli Trine Wiig Hage Family members’ reflections upon a family-based inpatient treatment program for adolescent anorexia nervosa: a thematic analysis Journal of Eating Disorders Eating disorders Anorexia nervosa Family-based treatment Inpatient treatment Qualitative research Higher levels of care |
| title | Family members’ reflections upon a family-based inpatient treatment program for adolescent anorexia nervosa: a thematic analysis |
| title_full | Family members’ reflections upon a family-based inpatient treatment program for adolescent anorexia nervosa: a thematic analysis |
| title_fullStr | Family members’ reflections upon a family-based inpatient treatment program for adolescent anorexia nervosa: a thematic analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Family members’ reflections upon a family-based inpatient treatment program for adolescent anorexia nervosa: a thematic analysis |
| title_short | Family members’ reflections upon a family-based inpatient treatment program for adolescent anorexia nervosa: a thematic analysis |
| title_sort | family members reflections upon a family based inpatient treatment program for adolescent anorexia nervosa a thematic analysis |
| topic | Eating disorders Anorexia nervosa Family-based treatment Inpatient treatment Qualitative research Higher levels of care |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-020-00360-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT janvegardnilsen familymembersreflectionsuponafamilybasedinpatienttreatmentprogramforadolescentanorexianervosaathematicanalysis AT øyvindrø familymembersreflectionsuponafamilybasedinpatienttreatmentprogramforadolescentanorexianervosaathematicanalysis AT ingerhalvorsen familymembersreflectionsuponafamilybasedinpatienttreatmentprogramforadolescentanorexianervosaathematicanalysis AT hanneweieoddli familymembersreflectionsuponafamilybasedinpatienttreatmentprogramforadolescentanorexianervosaathematicanalysis AT trinewiighage familymembersreflectionsuponafamilybasedinpatienttreatmentprogramforadolescentanorexianervosaathematicanalysis |