In search of predictors of dropout from inpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate risk factors associated with premature dropout in the treatment of anorexia nervosa (AN ). Method: Eighty-one women who received free inpatient treatment for AN on a clinical research unit at a university-based psychiatric facility partic ipated in this study. Demographic, lifetime, and baseline clinical characte ristics as well as self-report measures of eating disorder symptomatology a nd associated psychopathology were assessed upon admission. Results: Result s indicated that AN subtype and length of illness were modestly predictive of treatment dropout. Discussion: With the exception of AN subtype and leng th of illness, successful completion of inpatient treatment may be unrelate d to the severity of eating disorder symptomatology and associated psychopa thology. Continued empirical research into factors that influence treatment dropout is clearly needed. (C) 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.