Question: In adults of working age with an eating disorder diagnosis, how effective is motivational interviewing, compared to treatment as usual/any other intervention, for improving patient outcomes?

Answer:

No definite clinical implications can be made from the available evidence. The authors of one systematic review suggested that an MI approach can be used as an introduction or a preliminary phase before any of the interim behaviour change processes that may be needed in order to produce symptom change. The authors of the systematic review also stated that more rigorous studies, including RCTs, are needed to ascertain the clinical significance of the use of MI in eating disorders. These studies need to define what behaviour change techniques were used (in addition to the MI/MET condition) in the treatment groups.