Table 2 Summary of included studies
Nr | Study | Country | Diagnosis | N of Participants | Study focus | Ethics approval | Data collection | Data analysis | Credibility | Recovery criteria | Minimalrecovery length | Quality rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | [74] | Australia | AN | 8 | Process of recovery chronic AN | Yes | Open ended interviews (face to face) | Narrative inquiry | Member-check with each participant, cross-check by two authors | Self-reported, Bardone-Cone criteria (2010) | 5 years | A/A |
2 | [46] | Canada | AN | 9 | Recovery from AN | Unknown | In depth open ended interviews | Grounded theory approach | Review process by 3 individuals | Self-report | 3 years | A/A |
3 | [85] | U.S. | AN, BNEDNOS | 17 | Athletes’ ED recovery experiences | Yes | Semi structured interviews | Content analysis procedure | Reviewing of coding structure by two colleagues, discussion until agreement | DSM-IV-TR criteria | 3 months | B/B |
4 | [75] | Several | AN | 3 | Influences on the process of recovery from AN | No | Purposive/extreme sampling to identify published narratives | Framework approach to qualitative analysis | Coding by two authors, discussion until agreement | As described by the personal account | Unknown | B/B |
5 | [86] | Sweden | BN | 5 | Experiences of recovery from AN | Yes | Open ended interviews (semi-structured) | Narrative interviews with qualitative content analysis | Added quotations from participants to results | Self-reported (being healthy) | 2 years | A/A |
6 | [87] | U.K. | AN | 15 | Views of recovering from AN | Yes | Semi structured interviews (in-depth, by phone) | Interpretative phenomenological analysis | Discussion between authors | Self defined recovery/recovered | No requirement | B/B |
7 | [88] | U.S. | AN | 22 | Perspectives of recovered individuals on ED, recovery and social support | Yes | Interviews | Generic qualitative description analysis | Separately coded by two authors, comparing initial codes and consensus seeking. Member checking with participants | Measured: eating screen | 1 year | A/B |
8 | [89] | Brazil | AN | 15 | Factors involved in the outcome of AN | Yes | Ethnographic Face to face interviews (semi-structured) | Grounded theory approach | Analyzing separately, calculating inter-rater agreement | Reported by self, family member and assistant MD | 5 years | A/A |
9 | [90] | Norway Sweden | AN, BNEDNOS | 15 | Experiences of life after recovery | Yes | Open ended interviews (semi-structured) | Phenomenological approach | Analyzed by three different teams and discussion until consensus | Self-report (experienced recovery or marked improvement) | Unknown | A/B |
10 | [91] | Sweden | AN | 58 | Patient perspectives of AN recovery | Yes | Interview | Content analysis procedure | Separate analysis by three researchers, calculating inter-rater agreement | Clinical assessment (DSM-III-R) | Unknown | B/B |
11 | [45] | U.S. | AN, BN | 13 | Exploring ED recovery | Yes | Semi structured interviews | Phenomenological approach | Addressing researcher bias, authors independently reading transcripts, and discussing emergent themes, included extended quotations | Self-report | 6 years | A/A |
12 | [79] | Israel | AN | 18 | Patients perspective of recovery from AN | Yes | In depth semi-structured interviews | Phenomenological approach | Adding quotes to results | DSM-IV | 5 years | A/A |
13 | [92] | Canada | BED | 6 | Recovery from binge eating disorder | Unknown | Two interviews (unstructured and structured) | Grounded theory approach | Audit by second author | Self-reported, DSM-IV (objective measure) | 6 months | A/B |
14 | [93] | U.K. | AN | 6 | The patients perspective of recovery from AN | Unknown | Interview | Case descriptions | Unknown | Assessment | Unknown | B/B |
15 | [94] | U.S. | AN, BN | 3 | Rethinking recovery | Yes | Semi structured interview | Interpretative biographical method | Working with performance texts | Self-identified as recovered | Unclear (well into process of recovery) | B/B |
16 | [95] | Sweden | AN, BNEDNOS | 14 | Patients perception having recovered from an ED | Yes | Semi structured interviews | Phenomenological approach | second author scrutinized statements in relation to conceptions and categories | Self-identified as recovered at 1 year follow-up | Unclear | A/B |
17 | [96] | Australia | AN, BN | 20 | Experiences of developing and recovering from ED | Yes | Open ended interviews (semi-structured) | Live history interviews | two researchers reading and making margin notes | Self-reported | 3 years | A/A |
18 | [80] | Canada | AN | 12 | Understanding journey of recovery from AN | Yes | Interviews | Feminist grounded theory | confirm/refine explication of emerging theory by participants | Self-identified as recovered | Unknown | B/B |