Defining recovery from an eating disorder: Conceptualization, validation, and examination of psychosocial functioning and psychiatric comorbidity

Abstract

Conceptually, eating disorder recovery should include physical, behavioral, and psychological components, but such a comprehensive approach has not been consistently employed. Guided by theory and recent recovery research, we identified a "fully recovered" group (n=20) based on physical (body mass index), behavioral (absence of eating disorder behaviors), and psychological (Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire) indices, and compared them with groups of partially recovered (n=15), active eating disorder (n=53), and healthy controls (n=67). The fully recovered group was indistinguishable from controls on all eating disorder-related measures used, while the partially recovered group was less disordered than the active eating disorder group on some measures, but not on body image. Regarding psychosocial functioning, both the fully and partially recovered groups had psychosocial functioning similar to the controls, but there was a pattern of more of the partially recovered group reporting eating disorder aspects interfering with functioning. Regarding other psychopathology, the fully recovered group was no more likely than the controls to experience current Axis I pathology, but they did have elevated rates of current anxiety disorder. Results suggest that a stringent definition of recovery from an eating disorder is meaningful. Clinical implications and future directions regarding defining eating disorder recovery are discussed.

An interactive training programme to treat body image disturbance

“…With respect to EDE‐Q, Bardone‐Cone et al . (2010) operationalize recovery in eating‐disordered patients as a reduction in all four subscale scores to within 1 SD of age‐matched community norms. Mond et al .…”

Role of Sexuality in the Outcome of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa: A 3-Year Follow-Up Study

“…The recovery process is generally monitored according to symptom improvement, such as weight restoration, dietary normalization, and the reduction of binge-eating episodes [3]. However, several authors have recommended not just pursuing a significant reduction of ED symptoms, but rather focusing also on maintaining factors such as body image concerns [4], poor overall quality of life [3], and subjective experience related to the disorder [4]. With this regard, sexual functioning is seldom considered an important predictor of outcome for patients with EDs.…”

Abnormal Bodily Experiences Mediate the Relationship between Impulsivity and Binge Eating in Overweight Subjects Seeking Bariatric Surgery

“…According to different authors, most of the eating disorder (ED) features and behaviours such as dieting and binge eating should be considered secondary epiphenomena of a profound psychopathological core [1,2,3]. It has been hypothesized that identity impairments could have a role in the development of a distorted body weight self-conception, and accordingly in the onset and maintenance of the cognitive, affective and behavioural symptomatology characterizing EDs [4].…”