Anorexia recovery in Autism

[ANresearchSU]

Hi,

My name is Abigail McIntosh and I am a Clinical Psychology and Mental Health master's student at Swansea University, under the supervision of Dr Rachael Hunter ([email protected]).

The aim of this project is to understand how individuals on the Autism spectrum make sense of their recovery from Anorexia Nervosa, and what factors influences an individual’s eating disorder recovery.


I am looking for:

* Anyone over the age of 18
* Identify as in recovery or recovered from Anorexia Nervosa
* Autism Spectrum Condition diagnosis
* You DO NOT need a formal diagnosis of anorexia or any other eating disorder in order to take part.


What will this study involve?

* Interview completed over Zoom. (This can be through Zoom chat with camera off, or I can send the questions via email to be completed)
* This will be anonymous, and all information gathered will be confidential.
* Interviews will take around 45-60 minutes.


What if I change my mind about taking part?

If you are uncomfortable at any point throughout the study or begin to experience distress, you have the right to withdraw at any time during the study, without providing a reason for doing so and without any repercussions.

Your participation is voluntary, and you can change your mind at any time.


Who has approved this research?

This project has been approved by Swansea University School of Psychology Ethics Committee.





IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING: Please feel free to contact me (Abigail McIntosh) at [email protected]

 

[PastelPetals]

My first impulse was to loudly proclaim "does not happen!" but just because I am still stuck in it does not mean I don't think it's possible. Thank you so much to anybody who wants to help autistic people with ED's. Despite disorders like AN and ARFID being more common in autistic people ED treatment providers are often woefully undereducated even in simple things like how things like sensory issues interact with food pickiness and body image or how preventing all movement while in treatment makes sense to avoid compulsive exercise but may lead to more dysregulation in those who need to stim. And even for well understood concepts in ED treatment it's often ignored how autism intersects (yes maybe it's a control thing but maybe the control is needed in some way to cope with an overwhelming unpredictable world and how will you cope with that once you no longer have the ED to rely on.


I won't be participating due to not being in recovery but I will thank you all for doing the research that may help people like me access recovery in the future!

 

[ANresearchSU]

My first impulse was to loudly proclaim "does not happen!" but just because I am still stuck in it does not mean I don't think it's possible. Thank you so much to anybody who wants to help autistic people with ED's. Despite disorders like AN and ARFID being more common in autistic people ED treatment providers are often woefully undereducated even in simple things like how things like sensory issues interact with food pickiness and body image or how preventing all movement while in treatment makes sense to avoid compulsive exercise but may lead to more dysregulation in those who need to stim. And even for well understood concepts in ED treatment it's often ignored how autism intersects (yes maybe it's a control thing but maybe the control is needed in some way to cope with an overwhelming unpredictable world and how will you cope with that once you no longer have the ED to rely on.


I won't be participating due to not being in recovery but I will thank you all for doing the research that may help people like me access recovery in the future!

Thank you so much for your insightful post. My hope is that research like this will help to inform services and change the stigma surrounding ED and autism. Wishing you all the best in your journey.

 

[tree]

@ANresearchSU

I think you'd get more responses from people through the PM/Inbox method of
conversation here, rather than asking them to Zoom chat or email you.