Parental Evaluation of Treatment Outcome and Satisfaction with an Inpatient Program for Eating Disorders

Abstract

This study is concerned with the service provided to adolescent patients with eating disorders admitted to a private hospital. The patients' parents were asked to evaluate the service. Parental satisfaction was assessed by means of a questionnaire devised for this purpose and comments were elicited as to how the service could be improved. Parents of a consecutive series of 56 patients were asked to complete the questionnaire 6 months after admission; 82% (N = 46) responded. Most parents were pleased with the service provided but nevertheless many made some criticisms (35%) or suggestions for improvement (37%). The parental responses were discussed with the staff involved in treatment, resulting in changes to the service.

Treatment perception in adolescent onset anorexia nervosa: Retrospective views of patients and parents

“…However, Kopec-Schrader et al's study 13 also found that parental dissatisfaction with inpatient ED treatment was largely related to problems in communication and perceived lack of support for parents. Despite a strong emphasis on supporting parents in this treatment program, many of the parents had low scores on perceived support to them as parents.…”

“…13 Correlations between former patients' perception of treatment scores and their EDE global scores at follow-up were low, except for moderate correlations with the total POT score and with two items concerning therapists' ED knowledge and the usefulness of inpatient treatment. Most of the former patients in this study had a good ED outcome, but perhaps recovery is not necessarily associated with treatment satisfaction.…”

“…Surprisingly, we have found only four studies assessing parent satisfaction in adolescent AN treatment, [12][13][14]16 and there are no comparisons of satisfaction between mothers and fathers. In the present study, both parents participated closely in the treatment and daily care of the patient, allowing us to assess and compare parents' perception of treatment.…”

“…4 To our knowledge, only five studies explicitly address client and/or parent satisfaction in children and adolescents with AN. [12][13][14][15][16] These studies investigated satisfaction during treatment, 16 at the end of treatment, 12 and retrospectively 6 months, 13 18 months, 14 and 4-22 years 15 after admission.…”

A qualitative study of the experience of caring for a person with bulimia nervosa. Part 2: Carers' needs and experiences of services and other support

“…Like the carers in the Haigh and Treasure (2003) study, our participants reported the need for information regarding available treatment, prognosis, and plans for future treatment. Similarly, of 46 parents of adolescents with EDs who were questioned 6 months after their child's admission, most parents were pleased with the service but also reported the need for more information and support (Kopec-Schrader, Maren, Rey, Touyz, & Beaumont, 1993). The recently published guidelines for England and Wales (National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, 2004) set out the types of information that can reasonably be expected to be available to carers.…”