FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Most of those questions and answers can be found on various AED website pages that can be accessed using the drop-down menu on the AED home page. We compiled these questions to give site visitors a quick overview on important material.

  • What is the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED)?
  • How can I donate to AED?
  • What are the goals and mission of AED?
  • How is AED organized?
  • What can AED do for me?
  • How do I become a member?
  • How can I find contact information for a member of the AED?
  • What are the listservs for?
  • How do I sign up for a special interest group (SIG) listserv?
  • How do I post on the listserv?
  • Can I post research advertisements?
  • How do I get involved with the AED?
  • How can AED help me as a person struggling with an eating disorder or educate me about eating disorders?
  • How does the AED website help a therapist further advance his/her training?
  • How can the AED help me as a researcher?

What is the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED)?
AED consists of a multitude of members from the entire spectrum of health professionals who are personally or professionally involved with individuals with eating disorders.

How can I donate to AED?
You may donate by visiting the "Get Involved" section of this website here.

What are the Vision, Mission and Goals of AED?
Our Mission
The Academy for Eating Disorders is a global professional association committed to leadership in eating disorders research, education, treatment and prevention.
Our Vision
Global access to knowledge, research and best treatment practice for eating disorders.
Our Strategic Goals
1. Generate knowledge and integrate collective expertise about Eating Disorders.
2. Provide platforms for the promotion of understanding, sharing of knowledge, & research-practice integration in the field of Eating Disorders.
3. Build capacity in the next generation of Eating Disorder professionals.
4. Foster innovation & best practice by recognizing excellence in the field of Eating Disorders.

AED's Vision, Mission and Goals can be found here.

How is AED organized?
AED is led by a member-elected group of leaders (Executive Officers) and a Board that covers day-to-day business. There is a time-limited tenure for those individuals. View the current leadership of AED and an organization chart.

There are various committees that work on issues related to AED and the eating disorders field, making proposals that are then approved by the Board and Leadership. This process ensures that the decisions are made based on broad support and in line with general goals.

AED is financed through membership fees and donations. The Finance Committee oversees budgetary and fiscal matters of the AED. It reviews the financial conduct of the AED, advises the Executive Committee on fiscal matters, oversees the implementation of budgetary priorities and assists with the preparation of the annual budget along with advising the Board concerning its approval.

What can AED do for me?
AED is meant to be a platform for health professionals who work in the eating disorders field and other individuals who are personally affected by eating disorders (e.g., family members). This involves teaching, networking, support for finding therapists around around the world and discussions with other health professionals.

AED's main event is the annual International Conference on Eating Disorders, a scientific conference that spans research and education from basic science to the treating clinician and back.

The ICED also has a teaching day that provides in-depth training for clinicians.

AED members also have access to various listservs for discussion of a broad range of topics.

AED has a continuous education (CE) program in which professionals can earn credit toward their licensure requirements.

How do I become a member?
You can become a member by visiting this page.

How can I find contact information for a member of the AED?
AED members can find contact information for other members by searching the Member Directory.

What are the listservs for?
The listservs are for general information pertaining to research and practice in the eating disorders field, or for specialized discussion or interest groups. The general listserv is dedicated to requests for treatment referrals and educational materials, announcements of important news related to eating disorders and initiation of discussion threads. We suggest keeping posts concise, for example, approximately 250 words, to encourage as many people as possible to read your post.

Another listserv, the In-Depth Discussion board, is used for ongoing debate and discussion regarding topics our members wish to share. Conversations may be started on the general listserv and then moved to the In-Depth Discussion listserv for ongoing debate. This distinction was designed to accommodate the need for an efficient general listserv and a listserv in which lengthy discussions can occur.

The special interest group (SIG) listservs require membership and are focused on specific topics such as Family Therapy or Neuroimaging.

How do I sign up for a special interest group (SIG) listserv?
All members are automatically signed up for the general listserv when they join AED. For all other listservs, members must join if they wish to participate or read the discussions. To join a SIG listserv, visit this page, select the SIG listserv you'd like to join, and click "Update."

How do I post on the listserv?
You can simply respond to an email posting or start a new thread via the AED website. Please be aware of postings that request responses via a back channel.

Can I post research advertisements?
If you wish to post a research advertisement, please submit a study description and approved (stamp, signature) Institutional Review Board letter to the Electronic Media Committee, Angela Celio-Doyle (acelio@yoda.bsd.uchicago.edu) or Kyle Deyoung (kyle.deyoung@und.edu) for review. If approved, you will be required to send a $75 check to the AED office.

How do I get involved with the AED?
Visit the Get Involved page to learn about the variety of ways you can help further the mission of AED.

How can AED help me as a person struggling with an eating disorder or educate me about eating disorders?
The AED website provides education on eating disorder symptoms and treatment for any site visitor, including non-members. This helps provide objective information and treatment recommendations.

How does the AED website help a therapist further advance his/her training?
There are various educational documents in the Eating Disorders Information and Resources for Professionals sections, as well as in Conference and Education and Continuous Education, on the AED website.

How can the AED help me as a researcher?
Being a member of the AED helps researchers connect and collaborate with each other and keep abreast of recent developments in eating disorders research. The annual ICED is attended by leading international researchers and includes presentations and discussions on the cutting edge of research in the field. In addition, the AED offers grants to support innovative and cutting edge research in the field of eating disorders. AED also allows researchers to connect with other researchers and professionals in order to recruit participants for their studies by purchasing space on the AED website and announcing the study in its member listserv. A recent initiative was to develop the "guidelines for Research-Practice Integration in the Field of Eating Disorders," a guidlines aimed at strengthening research-practice integration within its activities and within the field of eating disorders.