Advancing the Treatment of Eating Disorders
The Renfrew Center is committed to continually evaluating how our eating disorder treatment approach impacts the recovery of our patients. In 2021, Renfrew’s Research and Training Departments published a ground-breaking article in the scholarly journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, highlighting the effectiveness of our treatment.
Patients keep getting better even after they leave Renfrew.
Improvement in eating disorder symptoms, experiential avoidance and depression symptoms were maintained for at least six months after discharge for patients who received residential care utilizing The Renfrew Center Unified Treatment Model for Eating Disorders® (UTM).
This study is just one example of how the work of our industry-leading research team enhances the quality of care that patients receive at Renfrew.
How Research Informs Treatment
The Renfrew Center is continually seeking new insight into the causes, prevention and treatment of eating disorders, and then applying that insight both inside Renfrew and in the wider eating disorder treatment community.
Treatment Philosophy
Clinical Training
Eating Disorder Research at
The Renfrew Center
The Renfrew Center’s Research Department:
- Gathers empirical data from our 19 clinical sites
- Helps shape and improve clinical programming
- Informs treatment plans to support unique patient needs and vulnerabilities
- Establishes clear markers of treatment progress for patients and families
- Measures the impact of our treatment to improve our patients’ outcomes
Patient Outcomes
In 2018, Renfrew’s research department published a trailblazing study in the highly regarded peer-reviewed journal, Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, that summarized the implementation of The Renfrew Center Unified Treatment Model (UTM) for Eating Disorders®. This implementation took place at all of Renfrew’s 17 facilities nationwide.
Informed by this successful implementation, Renfrew’s research team published five years of outcomes for over 3,000 residential patients in the prestigious international journal, Frontiers in Psychiatry in 2021.
The results: Patients treated with the new approach showed improvement in eating disorders, depression, and emotional avoidance not only at discharge but at the six-month follow-up time point. In short, patients maintained their gains after they completed their treatment program at Renfrew.
*Post-Implementation results signify the application of The Renfrew Center’s Unified Treatment Model for Eating Disorders®.
Comparing Virtual and In-Person Eating Disorder Treatment Outcomes
In 2023, Renfrew’s Research and Training Departments published another ground-breaking article in the scholarly journal, European Eating Disorder Review. Data from this multi-year project showed individuals enrolled in in-person and telehealth partial hospital programs showed similar improvements in eating disorder symptoms, depression, and emotional avoidance by the end of treatment and at the six-month follow-up time point. Improvements made by the end of treatment were maintained or continued to improve by the time of the six-month follow-up.
Advancing Our Understanding of Eating Disorders
Renfrew’s research team makes significant contributions to the academic study of eating disorders by competing for federally-funded grant opportunities, publishing studies in peer-reviewed journals and presenting research findings at academic and professional conferences. Read some of our latest research below.
The Renfrew Unified Treatment for Eating Disorders and Comorbidity
This treatment guide provides a flexible approach to addressing typical co-occurring emotional and behavioral problems
The Renfrew United Treatment for Eating Disorders and Comorbidity: Long-Term Effects of an Evidence-Based Practice Implementation in Residential Treatment
Renfrew’s Research and Training Departments have published another ground-breaking article in a highly prestigious, peer-reviewed journal.
The Renfrew Center Publishes Groundbreaking Virtual and In-Person Outcome Data in Prestigious Journal, European Eating Disorder Review
Renfrew’s Research and Training Departments have published another ground-breaking article in a highly prestigious, peer-reviewed journal.
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