Examining eating pathology and psychosocial functioning across subjective eating disorder recovery stages in sexual and gender minority individuals.

Abstract

Subjective eating disorder (ED) recovery has important clinical relevance. However, studies have focused on the perspectives of cisgender heterosexual individuals, which is notable given that sexual and gender minority (SGM) people often describe feelings misrepresented by prevailing ED conceptualizations. We examined eating pathology and psychosocial functioning across subjective recovery stages in SGM individuals (N = 196). Analyses of variance tested differences between active ED (n = 106, 54.1%), partial recovery (n = 82, 41.8%), and full recovery (n = 8, 4.1%) groups. Groups differed in body dissatisfaction, binge eating, restricting, clinical impairment, autonomy, environmental mastery, and self-acceptance. Most differences were observed between the full recovery and active ED groups and the full recovery and partial recovery groups, such that subjectively higher levels of ED recovery were generally associated with lower transdiagnostic ED symptoms and better psychosocial functioning. Clinical profiles appear similar between SGM and cisgender heterosexual individuals across subjective ED recovery stages.