Toward a Unified, Inclusive, and Standardized Approach for Assessing Help-Seeking Behavior in Eating Disorder Populations: A Commentary on Ali et al. (2024).

Abstract

Ali et al. (2024) found that help-seeking rates remain low among individuals meeting the diagnostic criteria for eating disorders (EDs). Their review highlighted variability in definitions of help-seeking and a lack of adequate representation of marginalized groups across the included studies. Building on these findings, this commentary offers four recommendations to guide future researchers toward a more unified and inclusive approach when studying help-seeking patterns in ED populations by: (1) capturing alternative and indirect forms of help-seeking by engaging partners with lived experience of EDs; (2) prioritizing the inclusion of marginalized groups in the pursuit of understanding diverse help-seeking behaviors; (3) establishing a consensus on standardized measures of help-seeking within the research community; and (4) simultaneously collecting data regarding the receipt of help and treatment when conducting help-seeking research. These recommendations aim to expand upon the authors' work by proposing new ways for researchers to more accurately capture where individuals are seeking help for their ED concerns, which is an essential step in ensuring that accessible care is available to meet their needs.