The perceived impact of the ANZAED Eating Disorder Credential: perspectives of individuals with eating disorder lived experience.

Abstract

Background: In response to individual and systemic barriers hindering the timely and effective treatment of eating disorders (EDs), the Australia & New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders (ANZAED) introduced an eating disorder credential for clinicians in June 2022. The Credential aims to enhance treatment access, quality, and outcomes. While the Credential has been well received by stakeholders, its effectiveness from the perspective of those with lived experience of an ED needs to be more fully understood. The current study aims to explore the experiences and perspectives of people living with an ED in relation to their treatment experiences provided by Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinicians (credentialed clinicians) and non-credentialed clinicians.

Methods: An exploratory mixed-methods cross-sectional study was conducted involving 100 participants with personal lived experience of an ED. Participants were recruited via Australian eating disorder services and organisations, including the ANZAED and National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC) membership databases, with recruitment information distributed through their email and social media platforms. Participants completed a survey with open- and closed-ended questions on their attitudes towards the Credential and experiences of treatment by a credentialed clinician or non-credentialed clinician. Descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to examine differences in attitudes, treatment experiences, and helpfulness ratings between participants who had seen credentialed and non-credentialed clinicians, alongside inductive thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses.

Results: Irrespective of their own clinicians' credentialing status, participants valued the Credential; almost two thirds identified that their most helpful treatment experience was with a credentialed clinician. Three themes were generated from open-ended survey responses that explored the treatment experiences of those with lived experience of an ED: (1) Expertise, Accessibility, and Continuity of Care, (2) A Collaborative Approach, and (3) Personalised and Effective Treatment Delivered with Understanding, Compassion, and Respect.

Conclusions: The current study adds to the ED literature by highlighting the perceived value of the ANZAED Eating Disorder Credential by individuals with lived experience. Further, it supports existing research that identifies clinician's expertise, a collaborative approach to treatment, and the provision of individualised treatment as key factors contributing to positive treatment outcomes. However, barriers to accessibility, including the cost of treatment and availability of credentialed clinicians, remain and need to be addressed for individuals to receive the full benefits of the Credential.