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Tracking Readiness and Motivation for Change in Individuals with Eating Disorders Over the Course of Treatment

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Abstract

Ambivalence about recovery is a key aspect of the symptom presentation of individuals with eating disorders and increased attention has focused on understanding readiness for change in this group. This research examined shifts in global and symptom-specific readiness and motivation for change during residential eating disorders treatment. Forty-two participants completed the Readiness and Motivation Interview (RMI) prior to treatment, at week 7, and following the 12–15 week program. Demographic and symptom severity measures were completed at pre and at post. Overall, increases in readiness to change behavioral symptoms occurred prior to increases in readiness to change cognitive symptoms. Shifts in locus of control for change were less pronounced during treatment, and occurred only for the cognitive symptom domain. Subgroup analyses revealed that relative to the other eating disorder diagnostic groups (bulimia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified), readiness for change in individuals with anorexia nervosa shifted less over the course of treatment.

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Correspondence to Josie Geller.

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Geller, J., Zaitsoff, S.L. & Srikameswaran, S. Tracking Readiness and Motivation for Change in Individuals with Eating Disorders Over the Course of Treatment. Cogn Ther Res 29, 611–625 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-005-5774-1

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