Posttraumatic growth in eating disorder recovery

Abstract

Objective: To investigate posttraumatic growth in individuals recovering from an eating disorder.

Design: A convergent parallel mixed methods design was used.

Participants: The sample consisted of 28 participants who completed the entire study and an additional 10 who completed only the quantitative portion of this mixed methods study.

Methods: The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) provided a link to the electronic survey via their website. Participants were asked to complete the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) and the Core Beliefs Inventory (CBI) in the quantitative strand. For the qualitative strand, participants were asked to describe any positive changes in their beliefs or life as the result of their eating disorder (ED).

Results: Participants reported a high amount of posttraumatic growth as indicated by their mean score on the CBI (30.39, SD 7.89) and (71.26, SD 16.58) on the PTGI. Qualitative categories included relating to others, personal strength, new possibilities, appreciation of life, and spiritual change.

Conclusion: Participants described the transformation they experienced in the recovery process, with recovery from an eating disorder facilitating an opportunity for growth. Providing posttraumatic growth interventions may have the potential to help individuals with eating disorders find meaning in their pathway through recovery.

Keywords: Eating disorder; Posttraumatic growth; Recovery.