Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The existing outcome research on the efficacy of treatment of anorexia nervosa yields minimal insight regarding the nature of the recovery process and the quality of life pursuant to recovery. A primary problem is the omission of direct inquiry of recovered patients. This study, utilizing intensive interviewing of 25 recovered anorexics, finds that few who received formal treatment believe it was essential to their recovery. Many experience the therapeutic experience as duplicating the dynamics and problems leading to the illness. Citing insufficient attention to eating behavior, body image, and family dynamics, the interviews also reveal that factors essential to a therapeutic relationship are more often found in relationships outside of treatment. Recovery occurs over time as the anorexic accepts and adapts to the problems in the systems around her and in turn accepts herself. Findings validate the need for an existential, systems-oriented approach in the treatment of anorexic patients.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

American Psychiatric Association (1980). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd Ed.). Washington, D.C.: Author.

Bateson

(1979). Mind and nature: A necessary unity. New York: Bantam.

Bergin

A.E.

(1971). The evaluation of therapeutic outcomes. In Bergin

A.E.

Garfield

S.L.

(Eds.), Handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change: An empirical analysis (pp. 217–271). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Bruch

(1973). Eating disorders: Obesity, anorexia nervosa, and the person within. New York: Basic Books.

Bruch

(1978). The golden cage: The enigma of anorexia nervosa. New York: Random House.

Bugental

J.F.T.

(1978). Psychotherapy and process. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

Garfield

S.L.

(1980). Psychotherapy: An eclectic approach. New York: Wiley Interscience.

Garfinkel

P.E.

Garner

D.M.

(1982) Anorexia nervosa: A multidimensional perspective. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

Gurman

A.S.

(1977). The patient's perception of the therapeutic relationship. In Gurman

A.S.

Razin

A.M.

(Eds.), Effective psychotherapy: A handbook of research. (pp. 502–544). New York: Pergamon Press.

10.

Holsti

(1968). Content analysis. In Lindzey

Aronson

(Eds.), The Handbook of social psychology (2nd ed.), Vol. 2 (pp. 596–692). Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley.

11.

Hsu

L.K.

(1980). Outcome of anorexia nervosa: A review of the literature (1954–78). Archives of General Psychiatry, 37, 1041–46.

12.

Lebow

(1982). Consumer satisfaction with mental health treatment. Psychological Bulletin, 91(2), 244–259.

13.

Levenkrom

(1982). Treating and overcoming anorexia nervosa. New York: Scribner.

14.

MacLeod

(1982). The art of starvation: A story of anorexia and survival. New York: Schocken.

15.

Maslow

A.H.

(1966). The psychology of science. South Bend, Indiana: Gateway Editions.

16.

Maslow

A.H.

(1968). Toward a psychology of being. New York: Van Nostrand.

17.

May

(1958). The origins and significance of the existential movement in psychology. In May

Angel

Ellenberter

H.F.

(Eds.), Existence: A new dimension in psychiatry and psychology (pp. 3–37). New York: Touchstone.

18.

Minuchin

Rosman

B.L.

Baker

(1978). Psychosomatic Families: Anorexia nervosa in context. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Press.

19.

Palazzoli

M.S.

(1978). Self-starvation: From individual to family therapy in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. New York: Jason Aronson.

20.

Prager

Tanaka

(1980). Self-assessment: The client's perspective. Social work, 25, 32–34.

21.

Schwartz

C.C.

Myers

J.K.

Astrachan

B.M.

(1973). The outcome study in psychiatric evaluation research: Issues and methods. Archives of General Psychiatry, 29, 98–102.

22.

Smith

M.L.

Glass

G.V.

Miller

T.J.

(1980). The benefits of psychotherapy. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins.

23.

Society of Actuaries and Association of Life Insurance Medical Directors of America (1980). 1979 Build Study.

24.

Strupp

H.H.

(1977). A reformation of the dynamics of the therapist's contribution. In Gurman

A.S.

Razin

A.M.

(Eds.), Effective Psychotherapy: A Handbook of research (pp. 1–23). New York: Pergamon Press.

25.

Van Buskirk

S.S.

(1977). A two-phase perspective on the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Psychological Bulletin, 1977, 84(3), 529–538.

26.

Yager

Rudnick

F.D.

Metzer

R.J.

(1981). Anorexia Nervosa: A current perspective and some new directions. In Serafetinides

E.A.

(Ed.), Psychiatric research in practice: Biobehavioral themes (pp. 131–151). New York: Grune & Stratton.

Effective Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa: The Recovered Patient's View

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References