An exploration of the experience of living with someone with an eating disorder: Partners' perspectives

Background: Research into family members’ experiences of living with and supporting someone with an eating disorder has tended to focus on the experience and needs of parents, with the experiences and needs of partners being... [ view full abstract ]

Background: Research into family members’ experiences of living with and supporting someone with an eating disorder has tended to focus on the experience and needs of parents, with the experiences and needs of partners being seriously neglected. Approaches to support and care for partners therefore are primarily based on interventions developed for parents which in the context of the intimate relationship are often not appropriate or useful for partners. Knowing the needs and experiences of partners is vital for positive health outcomes and improving quality of life for all.
Aim: The aim of the study was to develop a grounded theory of the personal lived experiences of intimate partners of people with an eating disorder.
Method: Grounded theory methodology was used in this study. In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 partners of people with an eating disorder. Data were analysed using grounded theory principles, including concurrent data collection and analysis, theoretical sampling, constant comparative analysis and memo writing. Ethical approval was received from the Trinity College Dublin Ethics Committee.
Findings: Data analysis resulted in a theory conceptualised as ‘Reconstructing livability’. The theory describes how participants live in a relationship that has become disrupted as a result of their partner experiencing an eating disorder. The theory focuses on the participants’ personal journey of recovery from the ED related disruptions and the strategies undertaken which support them in remaining committed to the intimate relationship. The strategies of 'Encountering a disruption', ‘Informed self,’ Countering the disruptions’ and ‘Reclaimed livability’, which the participants engage result in a reconstruction of their lived environment so that they can experience the relationship and life in a hopeful and satisfactory way.

Conclusions and implications: This study identifies experiences and needs specific to partners and provides a theoretical framework to guide practitioners in relation to supporting partners who are living with someone with an eating disorder.

Keywords: Eating disorders, grounded theory, intimate relationships, partners