Mindfulness in the Treatment of Eating Disorders: Theoretical Rationale and Hypothesized Mechanisms of Action

Abstract

Eating disorders are associated with significant physical, psychological, and social impairment, but existing treatments are effective only half of the time and relapse rates are high. Mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) are growing in empirical support and present a promising area of research to fill a crucial treatment gap for eating disorders. Several studies on MBPs for eating disorders show promising results, but overall the research on the use of mindfulness in eating disorder treatment is still lacking. The goal of this theoretical paper is to present a rationale for why and how mindfulness may be helpful in the treatment of eating disorders. Several potential mechanisms by which MBPs may produce change in the eating disorder symptoms are presented: reduction in repetitive negative thinking and improvements in self-compassion, decentering, psychological flexibility, emotion regulation, and interoceptive awareness of hunger and fullness cues. Research gaps and future directions for the study of mechanisms involved in MBPs for eating disorders are discussed.