Family-based treatment (FBT) for Anorexia Nervosa
Family-based treatment (FBT), also known as "The Maudsley Model", is an outpatient treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa involving the whole family. It has been shown in research trials to be effective for adolescents under the age of 18 years of age, who have been ill for a short duration (usually under 3 years).
The model holds that while in the grips of an eating disorder, a young person is not in a position to make good decisions for him/herself with regard to food and eating. As such, the family is seen as an important resource in their treatment, rather than being the cause of the eating disorder. Treatment focuses on strengthening the parenting team to take charge of the eating disorder. Control of eating and decisions around food are assigned to the parents in the first phase of treatment, which focuses exclusively on supporting the parents to access their own specialist knowledge about how to re-feed their child to health. The young person's siblings, too, are seen as important resources and play a central role in supporting their ill sister/brother emotionally throughout this process.
During the second phase of treatment, decisions around food and eating are gradually handed back to the teenager, with the support of his/her parents so that he/she is able to reclaim appropriate patterns and decisions around eating for his/her age.
The final phase of treatment is briefer, and focuses on allowing the family the opportunity to process any issues which might have been present before the eating disorder, or may be related to normal adolescent development.
Overall, treatment usually lasts for approximately 1 year, with weekly sessions in the first phase of treatment. This is followed by fortnightly sessions in Phase 2 and usually monthly sessions in Phase 3, depending on the young person's progress through treatment. If you are interested in this treatment, please feel free to contact Mandy for further information.
The model holds that while in the grips of an eating disorder, a young person is not in a position to make good decisions for him/herself with regard to food and eating. As such, the family is seen as an important resource in their treatment, rather than being the cause of the eating disorder. Treatment focuses on strengthening the parenting team to take charge of the eating disorder. Control of eating and decisions around food are assigned to the parents in the first phase of treatment, which focuses exclusively on supporting the parents to access their own specialist knowledge about how to re-feed their child to health. The young person's siblings, too, are seen as important resources and play a central role in supporting their ill sister/brother emotionally throughout this process.
During the second phase of treatment, decisions around food and eating are gradually handed back to the teenager, with the support of his/her parents so that he/she is able to reclaim appropriate patterns and decisions around eating for his/her age.
The final phase of treatment is briefer, and focuses on allowing the family the opportunity to process any issues which might have been present before the eating disorder, or may be related to normal adolescent development.
Overall, treatment usually lasts for approximately 1 year, with weekly sessions in the first phase of treatment. This is followed by fortnightly sessions in Phase 2 and usually monthly sessions in Phase 3, depending on the young person's progress through treatment. If you are interested in this treatment, please feel free to contact Mandy for further information.
