Adapting family‐based therapy to a day hospital programme for adolescents with eating disorders: preliminary outcomes and trajectories of change

Adolescent eating disorder symptoms, depression and anxiety, the impact of their symptoms on their parents, and parental self‐efficacy were assessed before beginning family‐based day hospital treatment, and at 3 and 6 months post‐assessment. Parents’ self‐efficacy increased during the first 3 months of treatment, and their knowledge and confidence in their effectiveness against the eating disorder continued to increase between 3 and 6 months post‐assessment. Adolescent eating disorder symptoms, depression and anxiety, and the impact of the symptoms on their parents decreased between 3 and 6 months post‐assessment. The results suggest that family‐based treatment can be adapted to day hospital programmes for adolescents. The results also provide preliminary support for a treatment duration of at least 6 months.