Treating young people with eating disorders: transition from child mental health to specialist adult eating disorder services

Abstract

The transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) of young people with eating disorders may pose a number of difficulties, including an inconsistent referral process and age boundaries. We compared young adults referred to a specialist Adult Eating Disorders Service (AEDS) who had previous involvement with CAMHS for the treatment of their eating disorder with those who did not. Information regarding the socio-demographic characteristics and eating disorders symptomatology of patients assessed by an AEDS over a 4-year period was collected. Patients who had previous involvement with CAMHS (particularly the ones treated as in-patients) presented with a lower self-esteem and more maturity fears (MF) than those without previous involvement. This study discusses the implication of these results in transitional arrangements between CAMHS and Adult services. It also highlights the need for heightened awareness of particular issues of self-esteem and maturation in these patients moving between services.