The Prevention, Intervention and Treatment of Eating Disorders

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Psychiatric, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 22 April 2026 | Viewed by 653

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
Interests: eating disorders; disordered eating; dietary restraint; sociocultural influences; screening; scale development; risk factors

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Guest Editor
Department of Psychological Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
Interests: eating disorders; disordered eating; weight stigma; social justice; treatment; sociocultural influences
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue explores the prevention, intervention, and treatment of eating disorders.

Eating disorders (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder) are complex and multifaceted mental health conditions that are associated with high morbidity and mortality and low rates of early detection and intervention. Limited help-seeking, low treatment uptake, and high dropout rates often contribute to prolonged illness and poorer outcomes.

In light of the significant physical and psychological burden of eating disorders, this Special Issue aims to bring together contemporary research to explore innovative approaches to the prevention, intervention, and treatment of eating disorders. Contributions will be considered from across the continuum of care, from early intervention and primary prevention through to specialist treatment and long-term recovery and support. We welcome research that addresses clinical, community, and policy-level interventions, with a focus on improving access, engagement, and outcomes for diverse and underserved populations. Submissions that provide clear clinical insights and attempt to bridge the gap between research, policy, and practice will be perceived favorably. Original empirical research, including experimental and observational designs, brief reports, and reviews, will be considered.

Dr. Courtney McLean
Dr. Kathleen de Boer
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • eating disorders
  • disordered eating
  • treatment approaches
  • interventions
  • screening
  • prevention
  • risk factors
  • mental health
  • diagnosis
  • diverse populations

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 902 KB  
Article
Implementation Fidelity in Early Intervention for Eating Disorders—A Multisite Pilot Study
by Lucy Hyam, Lucy Gallagher, Zoe Tsivos, Sarah Macnab, Ben Kirton, Emily Palmer, Eóin Killackey, Karina L. Allen and Ulrike Schmidt
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(11), 1521; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15111521 - 8 Nov 2025
Viewed by 387
Abstract
First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders (FREED) is an early intervention service model and care pathway for young people aged 16–25 with a recent-onset eating disorder. This multi-site study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a newly developed implementation fidelity tool [...] Read more.
First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders (FREED) is an early intervention service model and care pathway for young people aged 16–25 with a recent-onset eating disorder. This multi-site study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a newly developed implementation fidelity tool and observe patterns of fidelity to FREED. Six eating disorder services across England took part in an assessment. Data were collected from 242 patient referrals between January and June 2025 and via semi-structured interviews with FREED staff. Total fidelity scores were calculated alongside two component scores (rapid access to the service and early intervention care package), and inter-rater agreement was assessed. The tool was feasible to use across multiple services, time efficient, aligned with existing workflows, and demonstrated high inter-rater agreement. The average fidelity score across services was 72% (‘medium fidelity’). The average component scores were 57% for rapid access targets (‘not satisfactory’) and 77% for early intervention care package (‘medium fidelity’). Rapid access target scores were highly variable across services (20–87%), whereas care package scores were more consistent (72–82%). Additional sustained resource augmentation is needed to improve model adherence and facilitate consistent access to high-quality early intervention for eating disorders, including support to meet rapid access targets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Prevention, Intervention and Treatment of Eating Disorders)
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