The Research Directions Survey: Patient and Parent Perspectives of Eating Disorder Research

Abstract

Seventy-two patients and parents completed the “Research Directions Survey” (RDS), consisting of an open-ended question and four rank-ordered lists. The RDS was designed to examine aspects of eating disorders (ED) that these individuals perceive as priorities for future research. The top three themes emerging from the open-ended question were treatment, family dynamics, and motivation for recovery. In the four ranking questions, respondents indicated low self-esteem, weight-related comments, body image distortions, and individual psychotherapy as most important for future research. This paper discusses the implications of our findings and directions for future research in ED.