“Our daily life was mainly comprised of eating and sitting:” a qualitative analysis of adolescents’ experiences of inpatient eating disorder treatment in China

Abstract

Background

Some individuals with Eating Disorders (EDs) require hospitalization to stabilize and improve life-threatening physical complications. The experiences of those receiving inpatient treatment for EDs are well-documented in western samples, but less is known about the experiences of those in China, the world’s most populous country in which the incidence of EDs may be increasing.

Methods

This qualitative study aimed to use Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to understand the experiences of four adolescents receiving inpatient treatment for EDs in China. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted.

Results

Four themes emerged from the data: perceptions of the treatment received, peer influences during admission, the impact of treatment on wellbeing and participants’ sense of self.

Conclusions

This is the first published study on the experience of Chinese participants with EDs. Their experiences share commonalities with those reported by participants in Western studies and also illuminate differences in how EDs are understood and managed in inpatient settings in China. Cross-cultural collaborations will be important to share knowledge and practice.