View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Virtual eating disorder support group utilization is associated with lower eating disorder symptoms and multiple types of social support.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Virtual eating disorder support group utilization is associated with lower eating disorder symptoms and multiple types of social support.
Authors: Murray, Matthew F. (AUTHOR), Kandel, Johanna S. (AUTHOR), Rifkin, Rachel (AUTHOR), Dougherty, Elizabeth N. (AUTHOR), Hendelman, Joann (AUTHOR), Wildes, Jennifer E. (AUTHOR), Haedt-Matt, Alissa A. (AUTHOR)
Source: Eating Disorders. Jul/Aug2026, Vol. 34 Issue 4, p364-379. 16p.
Subjects: Treatment of eating disorders, Support groups, Cross-sectional method, Pearson correlation (Statistics), Medical care use, Patient compliance, Self-evaluation, Bulimia, Health services accessibility, Mental health, Research funding, Questionnaires, Treatment effectiveness, Descriptive statistics, Treatment duration, Body image, Psychological well-being, Eating disorders, Telemedicine, Statistics, Social support, Comparative studies, Data analysis software, Sociodemographic factors, Time, Patient participation, Psychosocial factors
Abstract: Support groups are a promising resource, but eating disorder (ED) support group research is scarce. This study aimed to examine associations between support group utilization, psychosocial health, and ED symptoms to guide future research on this resource. Participants (N = 494) were sampled from virtual, clinician-moderated ED support groups. Benjamini–Hochberg-corrected partial correlations tested associations of past-month attendance and participation frequency with measures of psychosocial health and ED symptoms. Participants additionally completed descriptive questions regarding perceived support group benefits. Adjusting for past-month ED treatment, more frequent support group participation was positively related to social companionship and emotional and informational support. More frequent attendance was negatively related to body dissatisfaction, binge eating, purging, restricting, excessive exercise, and negative attitudes toward obesity, but these associations were no longer significant after adjusting for psychosocial health variables. Descriptively, one-third to one-half of participants reported various positive changes from support group utilization. Utilizing and participating in clinician-moderated ED support groups could provide a low-burden outlet for ED symptom management, which may be due to provision of social support. Prospective examination of observed associations is a critical next step to investigate outcomes directly and build a testable model of group processual factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Eating Disorders is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 194842788
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Virtual eating disorder support group utilization is associated with lower eating disorder symptoms and multiple types of social support.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Murray%2C+Matthew+F%2E%22">Murray, Matthew F.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kandel%2C+Johanna+S%2E%22">Kandel, Johanna S.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rifkin%2C+Rachel%22">Rifkin, Rachel</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dougherty%2C+Elizabeth+N%2E%22">Dougherty, Elizabeth N.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hendelman%2C+Joann%22">Hendelman, Joann</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wildes%2C+Jennifer+E%2E%22">Wildes, Jennifer E.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Haedt-Matt%2C+Alissa+A%2E%22">Haedt-Matt, Alissa A.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Eating+Disorders%22">Eating Disorders</searchLink>. Jul/Aug2026, Vol. 34 Issue 4, p364-379. 16p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Treatment+of+eating+disorders%22">Treatment of eating disorders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Support+groups%22">Support groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cross-sectional+method%22">Cross-sectional method</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pearson+correlation+%28Statistics%29%22">Pearson correlation (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+care+use%22">Medical care use</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Patient+compliance%22">Patient compliance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-evaluation%22">Self-evaluation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bulimia%22">Bulimia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+services+accessibility%22">Health services accessibility</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health%22">Mental health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Questionnaires%22">Questionnaires</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Treatment+effectiveness%22">Treatment effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Treatment+duration%22">Treatment duration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Body+image%22">Body image</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+well-being%22">Psychological well-being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Eating+disorders%22">Eating disorders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Telemedicine%22">Telemedicine</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistics%22">Statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+support%22">Social support</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+studies%22">Comparative studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sociodemographic+factors%22">Sociodemographic factors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Time%22">Time</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Patient+participation%22">Patient participation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychosocial+factors%22">Psychosocial factors</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Support groups are a promising resource, but eating disorder (ED) support group research is scarce. This study aimed to examine associations between support group utilization, psychosocial health, and ED symptoms to guide future research on this resource. Participants (N = 494) were sampled from virtual, clinician-moderated ED support groups. Benjamini–Hochberg-corrected partial correlations tested associations of past-month attendance and participation frequency with measures of psychosocial health and ED symptoms. Participants additionally completed descriptive questions regarding perceived support group benefits. Adjusting for past-month ED treatment, more frequent support group participation was positively related to social companionship and emotional and informational support. More frequent attendance was negatively related to body dissatisfaction, binge eating, purging, restricting, excessive exercise, and negative attitudes toward obesity, but these associations were no longer significant after adjusting for psychosocial health variables. Descriptively, one-third to one-half of participants reported various positive changes from support group utilization. Utilizing and participating in clinician-moderated ED support groups could provide a low-burden outlet for ED symptom management, which may be due to provision of social support. Prospective examination of observed associations is a critical next step to investigate outcomes directly and build a testable model of group processual factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Eating Disorders is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=194842788
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/10640266.2025.2477359
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 364
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Treatment of eating disorders
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Support groups
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cross-sectional method
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pearson correlation (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical care use
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Patient compliance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self-evaluation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bulimia
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health services accessibility
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Questionnaires
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Treatment effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Treatment duration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Body image
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological well-being
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Eating disorders
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Telemedicine
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social support
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Comparative studies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sociodemographic factors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Time
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Patient participation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychosocial factors
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Virtual eating disorder support group utilization is associated with lower eating disorder symptoms and multiple types of social support.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Murray, Matthew F.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Kandel, Johanna S.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Rifkin, Rachel
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Dougherty, Elizabeth N.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hendelman, Joann
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Wildes, Jennifer E.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Haedt-Matt, Alissa A.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Text: Jul/Aug2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 10640266
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 34
            – Type: issue
              Value: 4
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Eating Disorders
              Type: main
ResultId 1