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A Comparison of Lenient and Strict Operant Conditioning Programmes in Refeeding Patients with Anorexia Nervosa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

S. W. Touyz ,
P. J. V. Beumont ,
D. Glaun ,
T. Phillips  and
I. Cowie
S. W. Touyz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown 2050, N.S.W., Australia
P. J. V. Beumont
Affiliation:
University of Sydney, Broadway, N.S.W., Australia
D. Glaun
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Broadway, N.S.W., Australia
T. Phillips
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Broadway, N.S.W., Australia
I. Cowie
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Broadway, N.S.W., Australia
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Summary

The present paper compares a lenient and a strict operant conditioning programme in refeeding patients with anorexia nervosa. Sixty-five consecutive in-patients participated in the study. We found no significant difference in the rate of weight-gain between the two treatments. There were, however, a number of practical advantages in using the more lenient programme: it was more economical of nursing time, and patients were more accessible to psychotherapy. The programme was also more acceptable to the patients.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 144 , Issue 5 , May 1984 , pp. 517 - 520
Copyright
Copyright © 1984 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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