International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience
Open Access

Abstract

This talk will focus on definitional and conceptual issues in defining recovery. The DSM-5 defines criteria for illness and sometimes for remission, but not for recovery from mental disorders. The lack of a standardized definition of recovery and validated instruments to measure it results in contradictory research results. Outcome studies use different definitions of remission and recovery and can therefore not be compared. The medical model that defines recovery in terms of a lack of symptoms for which minimal time periods, if stipulated, vary. A growing body of qualitative research with recovered individuals shows that symptom remission is important but insufficient, and that it is essential to consider the dimensions of growth and the development of wellness. Full recovery embraces concepts such as quality of life, self-acceptance, emotional connection, re-engagement with life, a sense of identity, authenticity and empowerment, self-acceptance, positive affect, social functioning, personal relationships and the capacity for intimacy. This presentation will discuss whether a definition of recovery should be transdiagnostic i.e. valid for all psychiatric disorders, or more specifically tailored to a disorder. An example of a psychometrically sound measure of recovery from eating disorders will be presented, the 28-item self-report “Eating Disorders Recovery Questionnaire (EDRQ)” proposed and validated by the authors in a sample of 350 women with a lifetime eating disorder (ED) diagnosis and 745 control women. Total scores and scores of the four subscales (Lack of Symptomatic Behavior, Acceptance of Self, Social and Emotional Connection and Physical Health) differentiated between women with and without an ED. They showed moderate to strong negative associations with measures of eating disorder symptomatology, depression, and negative affect and moderate to strong positive associations with positive experience of the body, positive affect, satisfaction with life and positive eating. Consequences and implications for other psychopathologies will be discussed.

Biography

Professor Rachel Bachner-Melman is a clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment and research of eating disorders. She completed her PhD at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on genetic and personality factors associated with anorexia nervosa in athletes and non-athletes, has over 80 peer-reviewed publications, and presents regularly at conferences throughout the world. Prof. Bachner-Melman has rich clinical experience at all levels of care, in both public and private settings. She has been a Teaching Fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem since 2011 and a faculty member of the MA Clinical Psychology Program at the Ruppin Academic Center in Emek Hefer since 2012. She is a member of the Eating Disorders Research Society, Past President of the Israel Association for Eating Disorders (IAED) and current Treasurer of the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED).