“This is my place of reference”: transition from adolescent to adult care in a qualitative study of patients with anorexia nervosa

The transition process from adolescent to adult care appeared challenging for most AN patients. Our study identified several internal barriers to transition, some of which are common to chronic diseases, whereas others are more specific to anorexia nervosa, such as individual psychic structure, psychopathology or associated psychiatric comorbidities. Hence, it seems essential to build personalized transition programs that consider individual developmental trajectories, the specificities of AN psychiatric comorbidities and the unknown long-term prognosis of this complex condition.