<p>The purpose of the present study was to evaluate a day ward treatment program for eating disorders by examining the patients' expectations and experiences of treatment. Previous research suggests that patients' expectations are important variables to be considered in the treatment of eating disorders as they have shown to influence treatment outcome in various ways. The present study included 38 patients who had completed the day ward treatment and fulfilled the criteria for either anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or eating disorder-not otherwise specified. Data was collected using the self report questionnaire Eating Disorder Patients' Expectations and Experiences of Treatment (ED-PEX) which measures patients' expectations prior to treatment as well as their experiences directly after treatment termination. Data was also collected using ten half-structured interviews which were held 3-18 months post treatment. Diagnosis criteria were used to assess the treatment outcome. At treatment termination 23 of 38 patients were diagnosis free. The results indicated that the control-focused interventions were most helpful according to the patients. It was also revealed that the patients desired more specific information about the purpose of the treatment components prior to, as well as during, the treatment process.</p>

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate a day ward treatment program for eating disorders by examining the patients' expectations and experiences of treatment. Previous research suggests that patients' expectations are important variables to be considered in the treatment of eating disorders as they have shown to influence treatment outcome in various ways. The present study included 38 patients who had completed the day ward treatment and fulfilled the criteria for either anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or eating disorder-not otherwise specified. Data was collected using the self report questionnaire Eating Disorder Patients' Expectations and Experiences of Treatment (ED-PEX) which measures patients' expectations prior to treatment as well as their experiences directly after treatment termination. Data was also collected using ten half-structured interviews which were held 3-18 months post treatment. Diagnosis criteria were used to assess the treatment outcome. At treatment termination 23 of 38 patients were diagnosis free. The results indicated that the control-focused interventions were most helpful according to the patients. It was also revealed that the patients desired more specific information about the purpose of the treatment components prior to, as well as during, the treatment process.