Table 5 Superordinate and subordinate themes from a thematic analysis of participants’ experience of AVATAR therapy

Impact of AVATAR therapy on clinical symptoms

Standing up to the illness

Increased motivation to recover

Increased ability to express compassion towards the self and the illness

Facilitated changes around food and eating disorder behaviours

Core mechanisms of treatment

Relating to the illness as external to the self

Differentiation between personal values and the intentions of the illness

Experiencing validation

Therapy generalisation to real-world context

Characteristics of therapy delivery

Visualising the illness as a separate entity

Goal oriented and personalised

Time limited approach

Online delivery

Role within overall treatment

Suggestions for future developments of the intervention

Staged approach

Involvement of close others