Transformative eating disorder research: qualitative research considerations

Abstract

Abstract This letter identifies the potential of qualitative eating disorder research to work within a transformative paradigm that naturalizes the state of living with an eating disorder. The number of qualitative research publications with persons living with eating disorders have increased, however, a substantive proportion of this qualitative research follows traditional research paradigms that are built upon the assumption that eating disorders signify a personal deficit. Transformative qualitative eating disorder research has potential to include those living with eating disorders in all stages of the research process to ensure that research leads to the de-stigmatization of eating disorders promoting health, wellbeing, and quality of life for persons living with eating disorders.

Keywords

• Qualitative research
• emancipatory research
• diversity studies
• stigma
• eating disorders
• community-based research