Background: The purpose of the present study was to examine the factors predicting a greater motivation to change in a clinical sample of adolescents.
Method: A total of 107 adolescents participated in this research prior to beginning outpatient treatment. Participants completed a modified version of the Motivational Stages of Change for Adolescents Recovering from an ED, the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale and the Behavioral Assessment System for Children-Self-Report.
Results: More advanced stages of change were associated with better parent-adolescent relationships and better emotional regulation.
Conclusion: Incorporating parents in treatment to enhance parent-adolescent relationships and instructing parents in emotional regulation techniques to assist the adolescent may enhance their motivation to recover.
Keywords: Adolescents; emotional regulation; family; treatment motivation.
© 2012 The Authors. Child and Adolescent Mental Health. © 2012 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.