Question: How can others in the patient’s environment (e.g. staff / family) interrupt patterns of eating disorder behavior?
Answer: There are many things that others (i.e. staff members, family members, loved ones, carers, etc.) can do to interrupt eating disorder behaviors and disrupt the maladaptive habit circuit. In IMT we use the term "Reinforcement Impeding Behaviors" or RIBs to refer to any action that staff/carers take to prevent eating disorder behavior from occurring. In other words, a non-enabling behavior. And example of an RIB is preventing a patient from using the restroom within an hour after eating. Alternatively, a "Reinforcement Allowing Behavior" or "RAB" is something that staff/carers do to enable the eating disorder. IMT makes efforts to educate carers on what these types of behaviors are and how to prevent them.