Aspects of Self-Concept and Eating Disorder Recovery: What Does the Sense of Self Look Like When an Individual Recovers from an Eating Disorder?

Abstract

This research examined the relations between aspects of self-concept and various stages of eating disorder recovery. Individuals formerly seen for an eating disorder at a Midwestern clinic were categorized as having an active eating disorder (n = 53) or as partially recovered (n = 15) or as fully recovered (n = 20) using a comprehensive recovery definition whereby full recovery included physical, behavioral, and psychological recovery and partial recovery included only physical and behavioral recovery. The self-concepts of these groups were compared to each other and to 67 controls. The fully recovered group had higher self-esteem, higher self-directedness, and lower levels of the imposter phenomenon than individuals who were partially recovered or those who met criteria for an eating disorder, as well as higher self-efficacy than the active eating disorder group. Fully recovered individuals also looked better in terms of specific domains of self-concept (e.g., intimacy, sociability, etc.) when compared to the active eating disorder group. Results provide evidence that fully recovered individuals were comparable to controls on all measures of self-concept. Partially recovered individuals, however, were more similar to active eating disorder cases, suggesting that improved self-concept may be an integral part of full eating disorder recovery. Additionally, these results provide further support for a more comprehensive definition of recovery which acknowledges the psychological aspects of an eating disorder.