What does this research mean for the field?

Eating disorder clinicians perceive ADHD traits such as disorganization, reward-seeking, and emotional volatility as underlying eating disorder behaviors and disrupting therapy, necessitating structured, strength-based treatment adaptations and improved cross-service collaboration. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To explore eating disorder clinicians' perspectives on recognizing, formulating, and adapting treatment for patients presenting with co-occurring ADHD.

August 22, 2026Journal of Eating DisordersOpen Access

Adapting eating disorder treatment for ADHD: clinicians’ perspectives on building structure, harnessing strengths, and negotiating boundaries

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Authors

LMLauren MakinKing's College London VMValeria MondelliKing's College London KTKate TchanturiaTbilisi State University

Discussion

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Implication

Qualitative interview study reveals clinician strategies and barriers in treating eating disorders with ADHD, highlighting the need for structured, collaborative care.

Key Points

To explore eating disorder clinicians' perspectives on recognizing, formulating, and adapting treatment for patients presenting with co-occurring ADHD.
Conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with multidisciplinary eating disorder clinicians (N=19).
Analyzed interview transcripts using reflexive thematic analysis through a neuro-affirming conceptual lens.
Clinicians identified ADHD-related executive disorganization, reward-seeking impulses, and emotional volatility as central drivers of eating disorder behaviors that impede traditional therapeutic processes.
Effective adaptations centered on reinforcing structure and routine, leveraging patient strengths and creativity, and overcoming systemic service boundaries regarding ADHD diagnosis and medication management.

Cite This Study

Makin et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a895eaeca7ade938187cba6 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-026-01740-5

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Implication

Qualitative interview study reveals clinician strategies and barriers in treating eating disorders with ADHD, highlighting the need for structured, collaborative care.

Adapting eating disorder treatment for ADHD: clinicians’ perspectives on building structure, harnessing strengths, and negotiating boundaries

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Adapting eating disorder treatment for ADHD: clinicians’ perspectives on building structure, harnessing strengths, and negotiating boundaries

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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