Motivational interventions in the eating disorders: What is the evidence?

Abstract

The widespread interest in using motivational approaches in the eating disorders is not strongly supported by the literature. The current evidence base does not support the widespread dissemination of motivation-enhancing interventions in the eating disorders.

Taking a Timeout to Ensure Well-Being: Social Work Involvement in College Sports

“…Motivational Interviewing is an established practice model, with mounting evidence in research for its effective improvement of psychosocial risks, especially mental health (Brody, 2009;Westra, 2004;Zerler, 2009), substance abuse (Gingerich & Peterson, 2013;Johnson, Sacks, & Edmonds, 2010;Simpson & Zuckoff, 2011;Westra, Aviram, & Odell, 2011), alcohol abuse (Branscum & Sharma, 2010;Feldstein & Forcehimes, 2007;Harris, Aldea, & Kirkley, 2006;Martens, Smith, & Murphy, 2013), and eating disorders (Knowles, Anokhina, & Serpell, 2013;Macdonald, Hibbs, Corfield, & Treasure, 2012;Weiss, Mills, Westra, & Carter, 2013). Gingerich and Peterson (2013) found that MI is also cost-effective, requires fewer therapeutic sessions, and is adaptable to a variety of environments more so than other intervention solutions.…”

Experiential acceptance, motivation for recovery, and treatment outcome in eating disorders

“…These results extend upon the extant literature by identifying a mechanism through which EA may promote better treatment response. Research on enhancing motivation for recovery to date has found mixed and inconsistent support for interventions that focus solely on explicit motivation [2]. It is possible that modifying underlying psychological processes (such as EA) could subsequently enhance motivation for change, and perhaps more consistently so.…”

“…Evidence suggests that this resistance is partially attributable to characteristically high ambivalence toward recovery and low motivation to abstain from disordered eating behaviors among patients [2, 3]. Higher levels of motivation are linked to more favorable treatment response [4], even among patients who have a longer duration of illness [5].…”

“…Higher levels of motivation are linked to more favorable treatment response [4], even among patients who have a longer duration of illness [5]. Furthermore, greater motivation has been shown to predict improved long-term maintenance of treatment gains [2]. A better understanding of factors that contribute to increased motivation for recovery is critical to inform the development of interventions designed to enhance patient motivation and improve treatment outcomes.…”

The Anorexia Nervosa Stages of Change Questionnaire and the Bulimia Nervosa Stages of Change Questionnaire: their psychometric properties in a Turkish sample

“…6,7 There is also some evidence that motivational-enhancement approaches (including internet-delivered programs) can increase motivation to change and improve ED symptomatology, [3][4][5][6][7][8] although more research is needed to identify the optimum strategies for enhancing motivation for recovery. 9,10 Fundamental to this research endeavor has been the development of several instruments for assessing motivation to change and related constructs (e.g., decisional balance) in the context of EDs. 11 However, most of these measures have been developed in English-speaking populations and all have been developed in Western countries.…”