Proceso Psicoterapéutico Desde la Perspectiva de Terapeutas que Tratan Trastornos Alimentarios: Un Estudio Cualitativo The Psychotherapeutic Process From the Perspective of Therapists who Treat Eating Disorders: A Qualitative Study

This study aimed to understand the subjective evaluation of therapy and the process of therapeutic change, as well as the elements that make this possible, from the perspective of 8 women therapists working with patients with anorexia nervosa, both in specialized centers and private practice. A qualitative methodology was applied, using episodic interviews, which were analyzed using the principles of grounded theory. The results suggest the existence of 3 stages that have been labeled psychoeducation, interpretative, and maintenance, which may help to explain the evolution of the psychotherapeutic process in these patients, as well as the factors that facilitate or hinder the achievement of therapeutic changes. Among the facilitators, alliance is established as the primary factor that promotes therapeutic change, while the characteristics of anorexia, such as resistance to change, are presented as the strongest hindering factors. The findings are discussed in light of a proposed explanatory model of the phenomenon.