Research participants wanted
We want you to share your experience with
nutrition therapy for your eating disorder.
Welcome!
We are currently recruiting participants for a research study, and we’re glad you’re here.
If you’re interested in participating and would like to connect with the research team to hear more or schedule a study visit, please let us know by filling out this form.
If you’d like to know more about the research and what’s involved, we’ve anticipated some frequently asked questions and include some (hopefully helpful) details below:
What is the research study?
We’re inviting folks with a past or current eating disorder diagnosis who have worked with an ED dietitian as part of their treatment team to participate in our qualitative research study. The goal of the research is to enhance our understanding and practice of nutrition counseling.
Who is doing this research?
The research team consists of:
- Lisa Pearl, MS, RDN, CEDRD-S is a professor at Simmons University and founder of CNC360, a group practice specializing in treating eating disorders.
- Elsey Weisberg, MD, RDN is a former LEAH fellow and dietitian eating disorder specialist at CNC360.
- Meg Salvia, MS, RDN, CEDRD-S, a doctoral candidate at Harvard University and owner of a group private practice, Meg Salvia Nutrition
- Jaimie Winkler, RDN is an eating disorder specialist and founder of a group practice, Navigate Nutrition.
What is qualitative research?
Qualitative research uses data that encompasses more than just quantitative data or numbers. For our research study, the main data source are one-on-one interviews, asking questions about your experiences in nutrition counseling. We also have surveys to accompany those interviews.
What is involved if I want to participate?
Our study is limited to a one-time virtual conversation, which will be de-identified and then recorded and transcribed for analysis. We won’t be collecting data prospectively (over time or at any follow-up study visits). We estimate that the study visit will take 1.5 to 2 hours, and it can be completed remotely without requiring an in-person visit. We have interview questions we’ll use to guide the conversation: The interview questions will focus on the trajectory and experiences of getting treatment for an eating disorder and will allow us to more specifically understand the nature of your experience in nutrition counseling and how we can continue to advance our care for individuals struggling with an eating disorder.
Before we begin the interview, we’ll go through the consent process to make sure you understand all aspects of the research and have the opportunity to have any questions answered. We will ask for your consent to participate before moving forward.
Are there any benefits to participating?
We do not anticipate study participants individually benefiting from the research visit, though the extent to which the research as a whole can contribute to improving nutrition counseling and treatment strategies for eating disorders may provide future benefit to individual participants and others who may struggle with an eating disorder in the future.
It is also important to know that this is not a treatment session, and we are not providing nutrition counseling, treatment recommendations, or guidance. Our goal is to hear about your experiences, and as researchers, we will not be intervening or providing treatment recommendations. We do have information about treatment resources if needed, but please know we are not providing treatment.
Will I be paid?
Yes, we are offering participants a $50 gift card in gratitude for participating in our study.
Are there risks to participating?
We do not believe there will be any harm to you as a result of participating in this study. This isn’t guaranteed, though, and we’ve identified two possible risks: first, there is the potential loss of confidentiality, though there are systems in place to protect your privacy and confidentiality, and the research team takes protecting your confidentiality seriously. Second, there is the risk that discussing your past ED and treatment experiences will bring up feelings of discomfort. For example, sometimes folks with ED assume the absence of re-direction or correction of ED-focused or ED-aligned thoughts implies agreement, and as researchers, we won’t be able to do that. You may skip or decline any questions you don’t want to answer, and we can stop at any time.
What are the next steps?
If you’d like to participate, and you meet the inclusion criteria below, please contact us by filling out this form:
Inclusion criteria:
- Have or had an eating disorder (any diagnosis)
- Consider yourself to be in recovery from your eating disorder.
- Received treatment for your eating disorder with an eating disorder dietitian (ED RDN)
- Can complete an online written survey in English
- Are 18 years or older
- Currently reside in the United States