Take part in eating disorders research
Take part in eating disorders research
On this page your will find requests from people engaged in research about eating disorders, who are looking for individuals to take part in their projects.
Please be aware that these research projects are independent and not connected to SWEDA. The inclusion of a research project on these pages does not represent an endorsement of the project by SWEDA and SWEDA in no way accepts responsibility for any aspect of the project or the data collected.
Be aware that in participating in a project you do so at your own risk and that it would be advisable to be familiar with the guidelines and policies under which a particular research project runs.
If you have any research that you would like us to link to, and are based in a UK college or university, please do get in touch.
Open Research Projects
Have you experienced psychological therapy for an eating disorder? Researchers at the University of Bath want to hear what your therapist did that was helpful or unhelpful.
"We are looking for people who have experienced psychological therapies for eating disorders to complete an interview or an online survey. You will be asked questions about things your therapist said and did in therapy, and how that affected you.
We want to hear from people who have experienced any kind of psychological individual/ family therapy for any kind of eating disorder, which ended within the last three years. Examples might include CBT, family therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, SSCM, MANTRA, DBT, CAT, schema therapy, CFT or some other kind of psychological therapy (or you may not know exactly what kind of therapy it was).
We want to include people who had a range of outcomes from their therapy, including people who made positive change or recovered, didn’t make any change, got worse, or stopped going to therapy early.
We hope to talk to people from a range of gender, ethnicity and cultural backgrounds, so everyone is very welcome.
If you would like to find out more about the study or take part, follow
This link for the interview study:
https://uniofbath.questionpro.eu/EDtherapyinterviews
This link to complete the online survey: https://uniofbath.questionpro.eu/edtherapysurvey
Participants in the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win a £20 Amazon voucher as a thank-you.
Interview participants will receive a £20 Amazon voucher.
Researcher: Dr Jasmin Langdon-Daly, Clinical Psychologist & Senior Lecturer, University of Bath.
Want to learn new ways of coping with difficult thoughts and feelings you have about your body and how to adopt a body-neutral mindset?
Who? Young people aged 13-21 years old anywhere in the UK.
Help psychologists at the University of Bath test out an online programme designed to explore the thoughts and feelings young people have about their body and join the Body Neutrality Movement! You will learn about a body-neutral mindset, how to cope with these difficult thoughts and feelings and inspire others along the way! All by answering a few questions and without having to talk to anyone. You’ll even have the opportunity to build your own body neutrality action plan along the way!
Participants are invited to engage with a 30-minute, anonymous, online activity.
All participants can opt to be entered into a prize draw to win a £25 Amazon voucher.
Extra info
University of Bath Research Ethics Committee approval ref 5950-11850
Recruitment end date: 01/03/2026. Study end date: 01/05/2027
Researcher name: Abigail Targett at2877@bath.ac.uk
Supervisor name(s): Maria Loades mel26@bath.ac.uk & Tom Barry tb2249@bath.ac.uk
Shireen Kaur Sawhney is conducting research on the experiences of Indian women with bulimia as part of my doctorate training in counselling psychology at City St George’s, University of London. She is interested in how social and cultural factors influence and shape these experiences.
Who Can Participate?
Indian Women: Must identify as an Indian woman (nationality, ethnicity, or heritage).
Location: Currently residing in the UK with access to the National Health Service (NHS).
Age Range: 18-30 years old.
Experience: Must have lived experience of bulimia, either experiencing at present or in the past (self- identified or formally diagnosed).
What Will Participation Involve?
Screening call: You will be invited to a screening call to determine your eligibility for the study.
One-on-one interview: If eligible, you will be invited to a 60 to 90-minute one-on-one interview where you can share your experiences.
Token of Appreciation
As a token of appreciation for your time and contribution, you will receive a 6-month subscription voucher to Headspace.
How to get involved
For more information or to volunteer, please contact:
Shireen Kaur Sawhney (shireen.sawhney@city.ac.uk) Dr Marie Bech (Marie.Bech.2@city.ac.uk)
Researchers at the University of York are recruiting participants to take part in an online survey.
The survey is about around how people interpret the sensations they get from their body. This data is being collected to refine a new questionnaire that asks people about their emotional reaction to sensations from the stomach that signal states such as hunger, satiation, and fullness.
Taking part involves 1) completing an online survey that asks questions about the sensations people get from their body and stomach, gastric interoceptive evaluation, and their eating disorder symptoms, and 2) completing the gastric interoceptive evaluation questionnaire (only) again a week later.
This whole process is expected to take up to 20 minutes. There are x4 £50 Amazon e-vouchers to be won in a prize draw for completing the interoceptive evaluation questionnaire (only) again a week later.
To take part, participants must:
- Be aged 18+
- Identify as having an eating disorder (have a current diagnosis or think you have one. However, no proof of diagnosis is needed. We recognise that symptoms can be experienced without a formal diagnosis.)
- Be fluent in English
- Live in the UK
- Not have been admitted involuntarily for eating disorder (in or outpatient) treatment in the last 6 months (this is a protective measure)
The survey and further information about the study can be accessed via this link.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact lucy.stafford@york.ac.uk.
A researcher at the University of Manchester is seeking participants for a study who meet the following criteria:
- Over 50 years old
- Have past experience of disordered eating or have experienced period when eating habits have caused you distress
- Not currently receiving treatment for, or experiencing any disordered eating and have not over the past 2 years
- Are willing to participate in an online or in-person interview (in English) about your eating disorder experience and recovery
- You do not need to have had a formal diagnosis to participate in this study
- The researcher is particularly interested to hear from diverse populations
Please contact Marie.elshamaa@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk
A researcher at Durham University is currently conducting a study on the role of exercise in eating disorder recovery. Their research aims to better understand individuals’ experiences with exercise during this crucial phase, with the ultimate goal of improving support and resources available to those in recovery.
They are looking for participants over 18 years old, living in the UK, who have personal experience of living with an eating disorder and have engaged in exercise as part of your recovery journey
The STORY study aims to explore the diverse experiences of young people with eating disorders and how they recover from them. How do symptoms progress over time and what characterises earlier and later stages of eating disorders? What factors help or hinder recovery? All this information will allow us to deliver more personalised and effective interventions for young people with eating disorders in the future.
This study is looking for people of all genders aged 16-25, who have an eating disorder or think they may have one. They also invite young people who have no history of an eating disorder or other major mental health disorders to take part in a control group.
Participants will take part for one year, during which you will complete online surveys and simple tasks on your computer or your smartphone at regular intervals. You will also download two apps onto your smartphone for some active and passive measures. If you feel comfortable, you can wear a smart ring on your finger to measure your heart rate and sleep for the year.
If you live in London or Edinburgh, you can also attend two optional assessment visits at King’s College London or the University of Edinburgh, for example, to complete some psychological tasks or undergo a brain scan.
You will be paid up to £175 for taking part and may receive a smartphone from us, as well as a picture of your brain!
Are you experiencing disordered eating and would like to get involved in a new nature programme?
This study aims to explore experiences of a nature connection programme designed (in collaboration with people with lived experience) to support people experiencing disordered eating.
What does the study involve?
· Carrying out the four-week (approx. 1 hour per week), online self-led ‘Appreciating Nature’ programme. This involves engaging with various activities centred around engaging with nature, each week.
· Answering some questions about yourself and the programme at various time points (during, before and after the programme and 8-weeks later).
Can I participate?
To be eligible to participate you must be:
· Aged 16+
· Living in the UK
· You don’t need an eating disorder diagnosis & you can be receiving other forms of support e.g., therapy
· You don’t need to be a nature person or spend lots of time in nature
· You don’t need access to natural spaces (the activities can be done from your garden/balcony and/or indoors if you wish)
Interested or would like to find out more?
If you would like to sign up, find out more or have any questions about the study/ are unsure whether you are eligible to participate please contact Mia, the lead researcher, at m.morgan16@unimail.derby.ac.uk
