Method types | Perspectives incorporated | Longitudinal design | Outcome measures |
---|---|---|---|
Quantitative | Individuals (increased diversity of races/ethnicities) | Multiple points of assessment for changes: | Risk Calculators (personalized risk of ED onset/relapse) |
Qualitative | “Supports” (e.g., parents, family, partners, friends, mentors) | Symptoms | fMRI, DEXA scans (provide accurate body medical status) |
Psycho/Physiological | Researchers | Cognitions | Time lines (when state and scar markers emerge) |
Behavioral | Clinicians | Psychosocial functioning QOL | EMA “active” recovery (challenges, impacts on behavior/feelings) |
Laboratory | Study co-designs (identify and assess aspects of ED recovery important to all constituents) | Recovery definitions | Participant-identified target behaviors (monitor decrease via standardized assessments for ongoing motivation) |
Online Observations | Compare recovery operalizations vs. subsequent relapse rates | Participant narrative experiences of cognitive recovery (shifting identity from “ED” towards person) | |
Combine types for multi-methods design | Evaluation of BMI as predictive of recovery (vs. other variables) | Participant narrative experiences of psychosocial recovery (group: narrative thematic analysis of overall trends, individual: personal recording of progress) | |
Provide group and individual level long term ED course trajectories | Supportive mentorship relationship aspects (mentor characteristics, stage of individual recovery, dynamics of the mentor relationship) | ||
Holding on to hope (more data indicates that recovery is possible, even after decades) |