SynthesisClinical psychology & psychotherapy
Relapse in Eating Disorders: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Individuals' Experiences.
Synthesis in Clinical psychology & psychotherapy. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis 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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Relapse in Eating Disorders: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Individuals' Experiences.Clinical psychology & psychotherapyPooled it
- Dysregulated eating behaviour and microbiota-based interventions targeting eating disorders and food addiction.Gut microbes · 2026Review
- User experience and perceived impact of the Eating Disorder Support App: a mixed-methods evaluation.Journal of eating disorders · 2026Article
- Psilocybin Treatment as an Adjunct to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders: Therapeutic Rationale & Considerations for Protocol Development.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Case Report: Motivational ambivalence and family dynamics in severe adolescent anorexia nervosa treated in a Mexican multidisciplinary setting.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveRelapse is common in eating disorders (EDs); however, it has received significantly more attention within quantitative research. This systematic review aimed to synthesize qualitative findings regarding the experiences of relapse for people with EDs.
methodA search for studies reporting qualitative data that included experiences of relapse in individuals with EDs was conducted. This included a systematic search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Scopus, SSCI, and PQDT Global along with supplementary searching. A total of 1594 titles and abstracts and 168 full texts were screened for eligibility. Sixteen studies were included in the review. Quality appraisal was conducted using the CASP checklist. Data were extracted from each paper and thematic synthesis of relevant data from study findings/discussion was completed in NVivo.
resultsMost included studies involved female participants in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom with anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Five analytical themes were generated: 1) "I wasn't letting go": Relapse as enticing; 2) "Bound to lose": Relapse as unstoppable; 3) "If the going gets tough I've always got this": Relapse as protective; 4) "Coming back with your tail between your legs": Relapse as destructive; 5) "So much of this journey … is learning": Relapse as instructive. DISCUSSION: Findings highlight the gap between psychological and behavioral improvements that precede relapse, and the contrasting ways relapse is described and experienced. They support a focus on motivational factors and underlying psychological difficulties in treatment, extending beyond a behavioral focus. Further research is needed to understand relapse experiences among males and individuals from the global majority. SUMMARY: Individuals with EDs who relapsed described desiring or feeling powerless to control relapse. Findings suggest the need for greater emphasis on developing intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy in order to sustain recovery. Residual ED cognitions and unaddressed psychological vulnerabilities were implicated in relapse. Findings caution against premature discharge before sufficient cognitive and emotional progress has been made. In response to relapse, clinicians should aim to foster hope, compassion and tailor treatment to address the recovery needs revealed by relapse.
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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.