Perspectives on Living with an Eating Disorder: Lessons for Clinicians

In the case of eating disorders (EDs) like anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), collecting information from people with experience of such conditions and those caring for them can make a valuable contribution to service development and be used to identify factors to increase engagement with therapy. Reading accounts from people with an ED or someone caring for them may also aid clinicians in demonstrating that they have an in-depth understanding of such conditions, helping to foster a positive therapeutic alliance. This chapter considers literature that has focused on the views of those experiencing an ED and their carers, and includes references to the author's own research in this field. In terms of carers, a lot of work has centred on parents, although other individuals (e.g. spouses, friends and siblings) can act in this capacity. The majority of material discussed in the chapter has been generated using qualitative methods. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.