Adaptation of multi‐family therapy for children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa in Japan

Multi‐family therapy for children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa (MFT‐AN) draws on the same principles as family therapy for AN (FT‐AN), but is delivered in a more intensive format to help families overcome a sense of isolation and stigmatisation and to maximise their own resources. In Japan, the main treatment for AN is inpatient care, and family‐based treatment that is based on the practice at the Maudsley Hospital in the 1980s has started to be introduced at an inpatient level in Japan. MFT‐AN could offer more opportunities to practice managing AN symptoms and reduce the family's anxiety. It may also act as a step‐down intervention during transition from inpatient to outpatient care or a step‐up in intensity if outpatient treatment is stalling. This article reports on MFT‐AN's theoretical underpinnings, the current Japanese eating disorder treatment context, and the way MFT‐AN may be adapted for the unique Japanese socio‐cultural context.