The experience of adults recovering from an eating disorder in professionally-led support groups

Abstract

PurposeThe aim of the study is to explore the experience of eating disorder support group participants. The research question is “What is the experience of adults recovering from an eating disorder in a professionally-led monthly support group?”Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study explored the experience of adults recovering from an eating disorder in a professionally-led monthly support group. Participants were 18 adults recovering from an eating disorder who attended a monthly support group. The data were collected using an online anonymous survey and then analysed using a thematic analysis.FindingsThe main themes that emerged were: (1) sharing the pain and promise, (2) cautions and concerns and (3) facilitators have influence. The findings indicate that the support group provided a safe space to share their lived experience, that it reduced stigma and isolation, and improved participants' motivation and engagement. Moreover, the results revealed some challenges to the functioning of the group. These included management of discussions and dominant members, need for psycho-educational information and managing intense feelings, relating to body-related comparison and other mental disorder comorbidities.Originality/valueThis is the first study highlighting the valuable role of the facilitator in balancing content with compassion, in ensuring safety in the group, and potentially fulfilling a valuable education function in supporting participants in their eating disorder recovery journey.

“Sharing lived experience”: Describing a virtual counselor-facilitated LGBTQ+ support group for disordered eating.

“…Hunsicker et al (2023) found that clinician-led support groups for disordered eating support participants in “feeling less alone,” “identifying new treatment needs,” building “coping skills and reduction of symptoms,” and that participants found that such groups filled substantial gaps in care. The current study builds on support for clinician-led groups in the disordered eating space (Hunsicker et al, 2023; Waller et al, 2021a, 2021b) and explores the unique role of this SGM identity-specific support group in facilitating community building, reduction of symptoms, and increased hope and recovery in contrast to conventional eating disorder treatment often limited by geographic, insurance, and identity-related competency limitations.…”

“…SGM individuals who experience disordered eating likely benefit from support groups to process experiences at the intersection of their SGM identities and disordered eating, particularly given the dearth of helpful treatment options described above. Building on existing evidence for support groups as a valuable supplement to disordered eating treatment (Hunsicker et al, 2023; Waller et al, 2021a) and the potential of groups to create and sustain community for SGM people specifically (Logie et al, 2016), support groups may provide a treatment alternative or supplement for SGM individuals struggling to access care 2 . TGNB individuals have been documented to have a difficult time accessing care due to several factors, one of the most prevalent being lack of affordability of care (Snow et al, 2019).…”

“…For those struggling with disordered eating, support groups likely provide opportunities for social connection, emotional support, and resource sharing to buffer against proximal and distal stressors that contribute to negative mental health (Meyer, 2003). Moreover, support groups and peer group interventions for disordered eating have been associated with increases in weight-related self-esteem and decreases in dieting (McVey et al, 2003; Waller et al, 2021a). For SGM individuals, support groups may be essential parts of community building and chosen family (Hull & Ortyl, 2019), and are associated with decreased body dissatisfaction and binge eating and purging behaviors among gay men (Brown & Keel, 2015).…”

“…Furthermore, clinician facilitation may provide a middle ground between purely peer support and purely clinical intervention, and thus may offer some of the benefits shown in recent meta-analyses of traditional group psychotherapy interventions for disordered eating more broadly (e.g., Grenon et al, 2017, 2019). Two studies exploring experiences in clinician-led disordered eating support groups found that participation appeared to support treatment reengagement and need identification, reduced stigma and isolation, as well as symptom reduction and building of coping skills; in these studies, participants found the facilitator to be an impactful and influential part of the group (Hunsicker et al, 2023; Waller et al, 2021a). Additionally, clinician-led support groups have been shown to have some benefit in reducing suicidal self-directed violence risk (e.g., Gilat et al, 2011), which is relevant given that SGM individuals are at increased risk for suicidal self-directed violence (Hottes et al, 2016), especially when they are also experiencing disordered eating (e.g., Berona et al, 2020; Duffy et al, 2019).…”

Thematic analysis without paradox: sensemaking and context

“…Thematic analysis has been applied to a range of studies in the context of social issues and environments (Mughal et al, 2018;Sheiner and Lahav, 2020;Tomkins and Nicholds, 2017;Magrath, 2017;Waller et al, 2020). It has specifically been applied to organisational knowledge management and education (Berry and Simmons, 2019;Calvard, 2016;Millar and Price, 2018).…”