ReviewBMC psychiatry2009
Factors associated with dropout from treatment for eating disorders: a comprehensive literature review.
Review in BMC psychiatry, 2009. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 130 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
130 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Psilocybin in the treatment of eating disorders: a systematic review of the literature and registered clinical trials.Eating and weight disorders : EWD · 2025Pooled it
- Posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic events, and longitudinal eating disorder treatment outcomes: A systematic review.The International journal of eating disorders · 2023Pooled it
- Animal-assisted therapy in eating disorder treatment: A systematic review.Eating behaviors · 2022Pooled it
- Bulimia nervosa.BMJ clinical evidence · 2010Pooled it
- An exploratory investigation of predictors of outcome in face-to-face and online cognitive-behavioural therapy for bulimia nervosa.European eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association · 2022Trial
- Trial
- Promoviendo una Alimentación Saludable (PAS) results: Engaging Latino families in eating disorder treatment.Eating behaviors · 2021Trial
- Long-term effectiveness of web-based cognitive behavioral therapy for patients with eating disorders.Eating and weight disorders : EWD · 2021Trial
- Predictors of dropout in face-to-face and internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy for bulimia nervosa in a randomized controlled trial.The International journal of eating disorders · 2017Trial
- Pre-treatment predictors of attrition in a randomised controlled trial of psychological therapy for severe and enduring anorexia nervosa.BMC psychiatry · 2014Trial
- Examining the Characteristics of Adolescents Recruited to a Novel Digital Treatment for Eating Disorders: Baseline Assessment in an Open Feasibility Trial.JMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2026Article
- Iatrogenic Harm, Psychotherapy, and Eating Disorders: An Urgent Call to Action.International journal of mental health nursing · 2026Article
- Resisting Contagious Hopelessness: Therapeutic Alliance and the Limits of Physician-Assisted Death in Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa.Psychiatric research and clinical practice · 2026Article
- Recovery From Anorexia Nervosa: A Concept Analysis.Journal of advanced nursing · 2026Review
- Finding meaning in the Maze (Out): a co-produced reflexive thematic analysis of patients' reflection tasks.Journal of eating disorders · 2026Article
- Virtual Reality-Based Avatar Intervention for Eating Disorders: Mixed Methods Feasibility Study.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Psilocybin Treatment as an Adjunct to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders: Therapeutic Rationale & Considerations for Protocol Development.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Can methods that focus on eating behaviour and individual agency improve success rates in eating disorder recovery?Journal of eating disorders · 2026Article
- Predictors of Treatment Outcome in an Early Intervention Eating Disorder Sample.The International journal of eating disorders · 2026Article
- Bridging Perspectives: Clinician-Adolescent Agreement on Psychopathological Severity in the European MILESTONE Cohort.Journal of clinical psychology · 2026Article
70 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDropout (DO) is common in the treatment of eating disorders (EDs), but the reasons for this phenomenon remain unclear. This study is an extensive review of the literature regarding DO predictors in EDs.
methodsAll papers in PubMed, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library (1980-2009) were considered. Methodological issues and detailed results were analysed for each paper. After selection according to inclusion criteria, 26 studies were reviewed.
resultsThe dropout rates ranged from 20.2% to 51% (inpatient) and from 29% to 73% (outpatient). Predictors of dropout were inconsistent due to methodological flaws and limited sample sizes. There is no evidence that baseline ED clinical severity, psychiatric comorbidity or treatment issues affect dropout. The most consistent predictor is the binge-purging subtype of anorexia nervosa. Good evidence exists that two psychological traits (high maturity fear and impulsivity) and two personality dimensions (low self-directedness, low cooperativeness) are related to dropout.
conclusionImplications for clinical practice and areas for further research are discussed. Particularly, these results highlight the need for a shared definition of dropout in the treatment of eating disorders for both inpatient and outpatient settings. Moreover, the assessment of personality dimensions (impulse control, self-efficacy, maturity fear and others) as liability factors for dropout seems an important issue for creating specific strategies to reduce the dropout phenomenon in eating disorders.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.