How Is Waitlist Duration Associated With Clinical Presentation and Treatment Engagement in Public Eating…

Cohort studyThe International journal of eating disorders· Aug 2026

How Is Waitlist Duration Associated With Clinical Presentation and Treatment Engagement in Public Eating Disorder Services? A Cohort Study.

J Lindquist, R Blackburn, P M McEvoy … K E Tonta

Eating DisordersCohort studyClinical practiceQ1IF 4.5

Waitlist duration was not associated with eating disorder symptoms or treatment completion

How Is Waitlist Duration Associated With Clinical Presentation and Treatment Engagement in Public Eating Disorder Services? A Cohort Study.

J Lindquist … K E Tonta

The International journal of eating disorders · Aug 2026 · Q1 in Psychiatry

Purpose

Prolonged waiting times for eating disorder treatment are common in Australian public services and are associated with high attrition.

Methods

This study examined whether waitlist duration was associated with eating disorder symptom severity, psychological distress, interpersonal problems, treatment beliefs, or treatment completion at a specialist outpatient service.

n = 168 clients

ρs ≤ 0.11

Results

ρs ≤ 0.11

wait time did not predict symptoms, distress, or completing treatment

n = 168 clients

More results

Mean waitlist duration was 132 days (SD = 73.4).

DISCUSSION: Regardless of wait time, clients presented with substantial symptom severity and elevated distress at intake.

“

Conclusion

Although longer waits were not associated with outcomes among those who reached intake, prolonged delays in the context of significant clinical need highlight the importance of rapid treatment responsiveness and closer attention to engagement and attrition processes.

How Is Waitlist Duration Associated With Clinical Presentation and Treatment Engagement in Public Eating Disorder Services? A Cohort Study.

How Is Waitlist Duration Associated With Clinical Presentation and Treatment Engagement in Public Eating Disorder Services? A Cohort Study.

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