PD952 - EATING DISORDERS IN ADOLESCENTS INFLUENCED BY THE COVID-19- PANDEMIC – A QUALITATIVE STUDY IN AN INPATIENT PSYCHOTHERAPY CENTRE

PD952

EATING DISORDERS IN ADOLESCENTS INFLUENCED BY THE COVID-19- PANDEMIC – A QUALITATIVE STUDY IN AN INPATIENT PSYCHOTHERAPY CENTRE

K. Rupprecht^1,*

¹Public Health Nutrition, Hochschule Fulda, Fulda, Germany

Rationale: Abrupt restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic had a severe impact on adolescents. The aim of the study is to identify factors influencing the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on adolescents suffering from an eating disorder.

Methods: Conducting guided interviews with ten adolescents with an eating disorder in an inpatient psychotherapy facility. The recordings were transcribed in MaxQDA, coded and analyzed using qualitative content analysis according to Mayring.

Results: All adolescents reported that their eating disorder was influenced by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Negative perceptions such as 'lack of structure/control' had a favourable effect on the development of an eating disorder, along with increased health awareness, increased use of social media and a lack of treatment options.

Conclusion: Restrictions, such as isolation, triggered the need to change their eating and exercise behaviour in some of the young people surveyed, while access to help systems was made more difficult.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared