Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40790980›Full record

ArticleThe International journal of eating disorders2025

Why Young People With Eating Disorder Symptoms Do Not Seek Help-Exploring Barriers to Help-Seeking.

Johanna Stadler, Markus Moessner, Katja Becker, Alisa Hiery, Silke Diestelkamp, Heike Eschenbeck, Vera Gillé, Michael Kaess, Julian Koenig, Christine Rummel-Kluge and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The International journal of eating disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Johanna StadlerHeidelberg University, Institute of Psychology, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9671-0258
Markus MoessnerCenter for Psychotherapy Research, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-1215-1055
Katja BeckerDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-4858-5127
Alisa HieryDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
Silke DiestelkampUniversity Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, German Center for Addiction Research in Childhood and Adolescence, Hamburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-6349-8059
Heike EschenbeckDepartment of Educational Psychology and Health Psychology, University of Education Schwäbisch Gmünd, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-3786-5476
Vera GilléDepartment of Educational Psychology and Health Psychology, University of Education Schwäbisch Gmünd, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-7787-2021
Michael KaessClinic of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-0031-7764
Julian KoenigDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-1009-9625
Christine Rummel-KlugeDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-4857-8170
Elisabeth KohlsDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9093-6547
Rainer ThomasiusGerman Center for Addiction Research in Childhood and Adolescence, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2819-069X
Stephanie BauerHeidelberg University, Institute of Psychology, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-7508-6521
ProHEAD Consortium

Funding

German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) 01GL1744AGerman Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) 01GL1744C
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveRates of help-seeking and treatment uptake are low in eating disorders. Delayed initiation of treatment has a negative impact on prognosis and treatment outcome and leads to a higher burden on the healthcare system. The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with help-seeking and their interactions in a large sample of adolescents and young adults with current symptoms of an eating disorder.

methodsBased on the Classification and Regression Trees (CART) algorithm, the data collected within the German school-based project ProHEAD (N = 9796; age: 12-25 years) were used to estimate a decision tree to classify students into help-seekers and non-help-seekers for a mental health issue.

resultsOf those screened, 13% reported substantial current eating disorder symptoms (N = 1273). Out of those, 77.3% reported that they did not seek formal help (i.e., from a mental health professional). The absence of suicidal ideation and emotional problems, as well as a low level of education and openness to mental health issues, was characteristic of those who did not seek help for a mental health problem. Emotional problems, suicidality, and depressive symptoms were identified as the most important factors associated with general help-seeking. DISCUSSION: In line with previous research, our findings indicate that individuals with eating disorder symptoms are more likely to seek help when other mental health issues are present. Public health efforts should aim to promote awareness and increase knowledge of eating disorders.

Indexed as

Feeding and Eating DisordersHelp-Seeking BehaviorPatient Acceptance of Health CareAdolescentAdultChildDepressionFemaleGermanyHumansMaleSuicidal IdeationYoung AdultadolescentsClassification and Regression Treesdecision treeeating disordershelp‐seekingyouth

Identifiers

PMID40790980
PMCPMC12605834

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.