Promotion of an autonomy-supportive parental style in a multi-family group for eating-disordered adolescents

A multi-family group intervention has been developed in a group-oriented inpatient treatment programme for eating-disordered adolescents. In the inpatient unit the opportunity for patients to have autonomy and sense of choice concerning the treatment are structurally embedded. Consequently, the multi-family group promotes an autonomy-supportive parental style. This article reports on the therapeutic model of the group and its consequences for the role of the parents in the treatment of eating disorders. The process of the multi-family format treatment is also explained and clinical vignettes given to illustrate the different therapeutic techniques. Finally, the benefits and limitations of the multi-family group are discussed. Practitioner points A multi-family group offers an excellent therapeutic context for changing role exercises, family sculpting and goldfish bowl discussions. Multi-family groups primarily make use of the resources of the different families and their discussions. Parents may experiment with autonomy-supportive parental behaviour in multi-family groups. Therapists play a more peripheral and less central role in multi-family groups than in single family therapy.