Research Paper Psychological treatments for eating disorders: What is the importance of the quality of the therapeutic alliance for outcomes?

Background Research data suggests that eating disorders symptomatology is determined by the individual’s unique combination of biological and psychological factors, in relation to their familial and social backgrounds (Brumberg, 2000). This means that different clients may benefit from different psychological interventions (Lock et al., 2010). Purpose This systematic review investigates the significance of the quality of the therapeutic alliance for the effectiveness of psychological treatments with eating disorders. Method A review of electronic databases was conducted against pre-determined exclusion and inclusion criteria, with applicable studies been abstracted using the PRISMA four-phase flow diagram (Moher et al., 2009). Nine quantitative and two qualitative studies which were published prior to June 2012 were included, and their data are critically considered and analysed. Findings The quality of the therapeutic alliance is significantly associated with the success of treatment outcome for anorexia nervosa, although its importance remains unclear for bulimic individuals. Discussion Possible reasons behind the ambiguity of the results are discussed, and alternative contributors to successful treatment outcomes are incorporated. Conclusion Notwithstanding the fact that this systematic review encountered a number of limitations, the findings could inform practice as well as form the basis for additional research in the field of eating disorders.