Young Person and Parent Experience of an Intensive Outreach Programme for Eating Disorders—A Reflexive Thematic Analysis

BACKGROUND: Intensive Outreach Programmes (IOP) for eating disorders (ED) were established to reduce the need for inpatient admissions by providing intensive support to families of young people at high risk of hospitalisation, thereby facilitating ongoing community treatment and decreasing the use of inpatient services. This study investigates patient and carer experiences of treatment in IOP with the aim of identifying perceived benefits, challenges, and changes during treatment and generating recommendations for enhancing outreach services. METHODS: Nine adolescent patients and 13 caregivers participated in individual semi-structured interviews at 1-month post-discharge from the IOP. Open-ended questions guided the discussions, which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using the 6-stages of reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: The analysis generated three key themes: (1) From Despair to Direction (2) Rock Bottom (3) No Quick Fix. Various shared insights were reported, such as beginning during an acute crisis and viewing IOP as a catalyst to change. Parents reflected on feeling supported by professionals to take a more assertive role during treatment and young people reflecting on the firm but necessary boundaries that shaped and supported their engagement with the treatment. DISCUSSION: Families recognised prompt structured support, collaboration, individualised approaches as key facilitators for change. Recommendations include enhancing communication between ED services and families, ensuring flexibility in appointments, and maintaining a structured, patient-centred approach to optimise the efficacy of intensive outreach interventions for young people with ED.