Lack of patient motivation and dropout are common problems in the treatment of eating disorders. The present study explored patient experiences with open access to specialist eating disorder services through a drop-in program aiming to enable early identification of eating disorders, address motivational problems, and strengthen the therapeutic alliance. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were used to explore the experiences of 11 individuals attending the program. Results suggest that drop-in access may strengthen the therapeutic alliance, motivate engagement in treatment, and reduce dropout. Strengths and weaknesses of the program are discussed and the need for more systematic research is elaborated.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.