ABSTRACT
Therapeutic interventions delivered to a number of families at the same time in a multi-family setting have been used for the last six decades in the treatment of a variety of psychiatric and medical disorders as well as for families with high levels of social problems and risk of breakdown in adult, adolescent, and child populations. Despite the differences in theoretical models of interventions used in Multi-Family Therapy (MFT), as well as in participant populations and settings, benefits have been reported in improvement of the patient's symptoms, reduction of relapse and re-hospitalization rates. Multi-Family Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (MFT-AN) was developed concurrently in London and Dresden, as an alternative to inpatient admission for a subgroup of very ill anorexic children and adolescents. The overarching goal of MFT-AN is to enhance the speed of change, enable rapid improvement of anorexic symptomatology, and secure physical safety brought about with adequate and regular weight gain as a necessary prerequisite for recovery from AN.
