Family-based treatment (FBT) is the treatment of choice for adolescent anorexia nervosa (AN). Although effective, caregivers often experience significant emotional strain, uncertainty, and distress whilst undergoing FBT. This study aims to explore how parents, adolescents, and clinicians experience challenges of family life and caregiving during FBT. A qualitative design was employed using focus groups with parents (N = 10), individuals recovered from adolescent-onset AN (N = 4), and clinicians (N = 8). Reflexive thematic analysis was applied to identify themes. Four overarching themes were identified: 1) AN as an intrusive force disrupting family life, 2) shared experiences of guilt, doubt, and isolation, 3) the evolving parental role within treatment, and 4) the reorganization of family dynamics around the illness. Parents described significant ambivalence toward treatment responsibilities, while adolescents struggled with isolation. Clinicians noted discrepancies in how different stakeholders understood and engaged with treatment. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing both the practical and emotional aspects of caregiving to enhance treatment outcomes, as FBT remains an essential intervention for adolescent AN. Further research should investigate ways to strengthen caregiver empowerment and mitigate distress while maintaining the core principles of FBT. FBT is a leading treatment for young people with anorexia nervosa, but it can be very challenging for families. In this study, we conducted focus group interviews with parents, young people who had recovered, and clinicians to understand their experiences. Families described how the illness disrupted everyday life and caused feelings like guilt, doubt, and isolation. Parents often felt unsure about their role in treatment and struggled with the responsibility of managing eating. We suggest that clearer communication and more emotional support for parents could help families feel more confident and supported during FBT.

Introduction: The Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ) measures repetitive negative thinking and has been translated and validated in several countries. However, the PTQ has not been translated and validated in a Danish clinical sample. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PTQ in a Danish clinical population and to introduce a shorter, 9-item version of the PTQ, the PTQ-9. Methods: Participants were recruited from a multicenter randomized clinical trial ( N = 251). They all completed the PTQ and World Health Organization 5-item Wellbeing Index (WHO-5). Participants were further assessed with the 6-item Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A6) and the 6-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D6). Results: The 2nd order factor model with one higher order general factor and three lower order factors showed the best model fit for the PTQ and the PTQ-9. Both versions showed good internal consistency and the expected correlations with the constructs used for validation. Furthermore, using WHO-5 as primary outcome, both the PTQ and PTQ-9 versions were able to discriminate between treatment responders and nonresponders. Conclusion: The PTQ and the PTQ-9 showed satisfying psychometric properties in a Danish clinical sample, including sensitivity to change, and could be used to evaluate psychotherapeutic treatment. To minimize the burden for the patients, the PTQ-9 may be recommended for clinical use over the PTQ.

Existing literature on the psychology of men and masculinity indicates that men face specific mental health difficulties. Overall, men seem more reluctant to seek out mental health services than women. This study explores the ways in which seven male patients talk about their experiences of participating in cognitive-behavioral group therapy in the context of outpatient Danish mental health services. Employing a discourse analytical approach, this study investigates how traditional masculinity ideals affect the men’s accounts of participating in cognitive behavioral group therapy. The analysis indicates that traditional masculinity informs the interpretative repertoires men apply to describe their preconceptions of therapy and engaging in therapy. In turn, these common-sense understandings make certain subject positions available, which may be gendered. The relevance of the findings for future gender sensitive psychotherapy practice with men is discussed.

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common disorder that requires more treatment options. Mobile health (mHealth) app interventions are promising for patients with PTSD, as they can provide easily accessible support, strategies, and information. However, knowledge about mHealth interventions is sparse and primarily based on quantitative studies. Objective: The aim of this study is to qualitatively explore the experiences of patients with PTSD with regard to using an mHealth app as a stand-alone intervention before commencing psychotherapeutic treatment. Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with 14 participants 6 weeks after they received the app. The participants were all referred to PTSD treatment and were waiting to commence psychotherapeutic treatment. During this waiting time, the participants had no contact with the health staff. Interviews were transcribed and were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: A total of 3 themes were identified—the use of app, being a patient, and the overall evaluation of the app. The use of the app was described with the subtheme of habits, and the theme of being a patient included the subthemes of having negative experiences with the app and being a part of a research project. The use of the app encompassed how psychological factors and technical problems could interfere with the use of the app. The theme of being a patient depicted that the waiting time before starting treatment was long, and a subgroup of patients experienced feeling worse during this time, which they partly attributed to using the app. Several suggestions for change have been described in the overall evaluation of the app. Conclusions: The findings in this study revealed that emotional arousal influenced the use of the app and that it was difficult for participants to establish a habit of using the app, thus reflecting the importance of supporting habit formation when implementing an mHealth app in mental health care services. This study makes an important contribution to the field of mHealth research, as it revealed that some participants had negative experiences resulting from using the app, thus reflecting the potential harm of having an mHealth app without the support of a clinician. It is therefore recommended to use a blended care treatment or an approach in which mental health care professionals prescribe an mHealth app for relevant patients to avoid increased suicidal risk.

Objective: Individual patient characteristics are important in trying to understand why people respond differently to group CBT. Only a few studies have explored therapists' perceptions of within-patient attributes that may be hindering in group CBT in a mental health setting. Method: We explored the perception of individual patient characteristics and related obstacles in 12 psychotherapists in Danish Mental Health Services through semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analyzed using a descriptive qualitative framework. Results: The results revealed four distinct themes that the therapists pointed to as important for the outcome of a 14-week group CBT intervention for social phobia, panic disorder, agoraphobia and major depressive disorder. The four themes were Complexity & severity, External circumstances, Attitudes & coping and Cognitive ability & reflection level. The therapists explained how they perceived higher complexity and severity in the patients as an obstacle, they highlighted that a calm and stable outside environment aided therapeutic change, whilst stressors were hindering. They perceived active coping mechanisms, positive attitudes and high readiness to change as positive factors, whilst dependent and hostile coping mechanisms and negative attitudes were seen as obstacles. Finally, the therapists pointed to cognitive abilities and reflection level, explaining how it could be difficult to obtain good outcomes for patients who's cognitive abilities were debilitated due to psychopathological factors or for patients with a generally low reflection level. Conclusions: The results indicated that the therapists experience group CBT as an intervention that requires certain prerequisites of the patients, and that the four themes should be considered when deciding on treatment options for any given patient. The clinical utility and theoretical implications of the results are discussed.