| Vandereycken & Devidt, 2010 [11] Belgium | Comparing the viewpoints of patients and staff about premature termination from an inpatient treatment program for ED. | Mixed methods | Both patients and staff were reported as important reasons for patients dropping out: not enough freedom, treatment being too difficult, and lack of trust. Patients were more often satisfied with the therapy and therefore did not expect further benefit in continuing the inpatient treatment. The authors propose abandoning the term “drop-out” because of its negative connotation. | AN Restrictive and purging subtypes, BN, EDNOS _no reference to source of diagnostic criteria | 21 | Inpatient |
| Leavey et al., 2011 [8] Ireland | Reasons for patients’ non-attendance and failure to engage with ED treatment health services. | Qualitative | The narratives suggest deep social-psychological problems and the ambivalence of confronting or losing a relationship with food that had been both comforting and debilitating. | _It doesn’t mention diagnostic criteria adopted. | 13 | Outpatient |
| Stein et al., 2011 [29] USA | Whether differential treatment effects on targeted mechanisms of change and ED symptoms are associated with patterns of attrition in ED patients. | Quantitative | No significant predictors were found. Attention to changes both in symptoms and mediating factors that occur during treatment and follow-up may help identify those who are at risk for DO, and help develop strategies to promote RCT participant retention. | AN, BN and subthreshold _DSM-IV AN, BN _DSM-IV EDNOS, Strober | 69 | Outpatient |
| Pingani et al., 2012 [17] Italy | Possible risk factors for DO from in-patient treatment for ED. | Quantitative | Predictive DO factors included poor educational and professional achievements, parents’ divorcing, parents’ history of substance abuse and difficulties in interpersonal relationships. DO is a multifactorial phenomenon. Recognizing possible risk factors may support specific therapeutic strategies to improve treatment for ED and its outcomes. | AN, BN, EDNOS _DSM-IV TR | 186
| Inpatient |
| Carter et al., 2012 [24] Australia | Roles of individual patient characteristics and process-based factors in DO. | Quantitative | Lowest reported weight, tendency to avoid affect, and time spent on the waiting list for treatment, were significant predictors of DO. Increased resources for ED services may reduce waiting list times, which would help reduce DO. | AN, BN, EDNOS _DSM-IV TR | 189
| Outpatient |
| Pham-Scottez et al., 2012 [14] France | To identify personality factors predictive of DO from hospitalization. | Quantitative | There was no link between clinical features and DO, and among demographic variables, only age was associated with DO. Personality traits (Temperament and Character Inventory personality dimension and comorbid personality disorder) are significantly associated with DO from inpatient treatment for AN. | AN (DSM-IV) | 64 | Inpatient |
| Weiss et al., 2013 [16] Canada | Motivational Interviewing and completion rates in intensive treatment for ED. | Quantitative | Participants in the MI condition were significantly more likely to complete intensive treatment (69% completion rate) than were those in the control condition (31%). MI as a brief prelude to hospital-based treatment for ED may help improve completion rates. Further research is required to determine the precise therapeutic mechanisms of change in MI. | AN, BN, EDNOS _DSM-IV | 32 | Inpatient |
| Clinton et al., 2014 [7] Sweden | Advantages and disadvantages of drop-in access for specialized ED services. | Qualitative | Results suggest that drop-in access may strengthen the therapeutic alliance, motivate engagement in treatment, and reduce DO. | AN, BN, EDNOS _DSM-IV | 11 | Outpatient |