Currently, one in five Australian children suffer from an eating disorder
(ED). Eating Disorder (ED) is a severe mental health condition characterised by severe
disturbances in eating behaviours, related thoughts, and emotions (American
Psychiatric Association [APA], (2013)). Occupational therapists have a unique skill set
to assist with the recovery of an ED. As occupational therapists, we analyse the person,
occupation, and environment to provide a variety of interventions to reduce/minimize
occupational performance issues (OPI). This chapter will review the diagnostic criteria
for the different EDs, the occupational therapy process using the Canadian Model of
Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E) and the Canadian Practice
Process Framework (CPPF), and apply the learnings to a case study.
Keywords: Anorexia nervosa, Avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder, Binge eating disorder, Bulimia nervosa, Canadian model of occupational performance and engagement, Case study, Eating disorders – unspecified, Eating disorders, Mental health, Other specified feeding or eating disorder.
