Special Interest Groups (SIGS)

About

Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder marked by feeding and eating disturbance exhibited by persistent interference with adequate nutritional intake, significant failure to gain weight or significant loss of weight, and/or problems with psychosocial functioning. Symptoms of ARFID can include selective eating, low appetitive drive, early satiety, volume intolerance, aversions to sensory aspects of food/beverages, and fear of aversive consequences (e.g., significant fears around vomiting, choking, contamination, etc.,). ARFID is a highly heterogeneous and complex eating disorder that requires specialized and individualized treatment. 

The mission of the ARFID SIG is to provide support, education, consultation, and resources for professionals and trainees who treat (or are learning to treat) individuals with ARFID and their families. Additionally, the ARFID SIG also seeks to welcome and include individuals and their families with lived experience of ARFID. ARFID was only formally recognized as an eating disorder in 2013, thus, significant efforts are needed to promote awareness about this eating disorder, and how to identify and treat it, to the AED community and beyond. 

Co-Chairs

• Eva-Molly Dunbar
• Anna Karam Jones

Goals

• Foster a network of professionals and trainees with a special interest in ARFID in order to collaborate and consult with the hope that SIG members will be able to provide high-quality and evidence-based treatment to individuals with this disorder.
• Share information and resources about ARFID and the unique considerations/issues that arise when working with patients with this diagnosis.
• Bring awareness to the AED community and beyond about ARFID and existing evidence-based treatments for this disorder.
• Engage in efforts that promote furthering ARFID research, treatment, and advocacy efforts within AED and beyond.

About

The Assessment and Diagnosis SIG is a multidisciplinary group that aims to disseminate information about the use of reliable and valid assessment techniques, provide training in the administration of assessment interviews, and discuss diagnostic and classification systems in the field of eating disorders.

Co-Chairs

• Kara Christensen Pacella
• Sonakshi Negi

Our Goals

• Promote utilization of reliable and valid assessment techniques for the early identification and treatment of  eating disorders
• Provide a forum to discuss topics related to assessment and diagnosis of eating disorders
• Promote resource sharing among international professionals
• Foster research collaboration among members

https://vimeo.com/954030241/2071c6a131?fl=pl&fe=sh

About

Binge eating is an eating disorder behavior that is transdiagnostic and occurs in youth and adults. Binge eating is a central diagnostic criterion for bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder, and can be part of anorexia nervosa (i.e., binge/purge subtype), night eating syndrome, and OSFED. Our goal with this special interest group is to create a community of AED members who study, treat, and have experience with binge eating across diagnoses and across the lifespan. The group aims to be a forum for individuals to learn from one another and increase our understanding of binge eating as well as the prevention, treatment, assessment, research, and advocacy-related needs of the field. To achieve this aim, we will create opportunities to discuss recent research, clinical dilemmas, and provide support for professionals working with patients who engage in binge eating.

Co-Chairs

• Janet Lydecker
• Laura Sproch

Our Goals

• Create a community of AED members who study, treat, and have experience with binge eating across diagnoses and across the lifespan.
• Promote collaboration among professionals across disciplines and across levels of professional development.
• Provide a forum to discuss clinical dilemmas and needs/resources for professionals working with patients with binge eating.
• Provide education on recent research findings to discuss their use in furthering research and their applications to practice.
• Generate novel and clinically-relevant research ideas to fill gaps in scientific understanding related to binge eating.

About

The Black and Brown Professionals in Eating Disorders SIG is an affinity group of diverse professionals in the field of eating disorders. The primary focus of this SIG is to foster connection and community while simultaneously facilitating collaborations and mentorship among Black and Brown eating disorders professionals across disciplines and career stages.

Within the AED and the greater eating disorders field, Black and Brown professionals are underrepresented and tend to lack a safe or brave space to share their lived experiences and professional interests related to their racial, ethnic, and cultural identities. The Black and Brown Professionals in Eating Disorders SIG originated after a group of Black and Brown professionals convened at ICED 2023 and shared a desire and passion for creating an affinity group to support each other within AED and beyond. Our goal with this SIG, is to create a global professional network of Black and Brown professionals that fosters connection and belonging within the eating disorders field. To achieve this aim, we will create opportunities to support Black and Brown professionals across the globe from all disciplines and career stages.

Co-Chairs

• Karen Jennings-Mathis
• Iman McPherson

Our Goals

• Foster a supportive community of Black and Brown professionals who are AED members across disciplines and career stages
• Provide a forum to discuss challenges and needs/resources for Black and Brown professionals
• Facilitate collaboration and mentorship among Black and Brown professionals

About

The Body Image SIG is a multidisciplinary association of academic and health care professionals with both interest and expertise in the prevention and treatment of body image disturbance. 

Co-Chairs

• Ashley Dunford
• Diane Rosenbaum

Our Goals

• Educate clinicians, researchers, & the public about the role of body image in the development/maintenance of disordered eating
• Promote utilization of evidence-based body image treatment & eating disorder prevention
• Provide a forum to discuss topics related to body image
• Promote resource sharing among international professionals
• Increase body image & prevention-related content at the ICED
• Foster research collaboration among members

About

The Child and Adolescent SIG is a forum for professionals to learn from one another in order to influence the understanding of the unique needs of children and adolescents and how development should impact our understanding of treating eating disorders.

Co-Chairs

• Leslie Sim
• Ashley Jennings

Our Goals

• To share information and ideas about the specific issues associated with the child and adolescent population
• To offer a forum for discussion of clinical dilemmas/issues in treatment, and support for those professionals working with this age group
• To begin to formulate guidelines/minimum standards for the treatment of the age group in collaboration with the Task Force
• To look at ways of promoting the therapeutic work with this age group in order to have greater representation at the annual meetings/conferences
• Visit Community

About

The Cognitive-Behavior Therapy-ED SIG represents a multidisciplinary group of professionals who are focused on the implementation, development and evaluation of evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders. Our work is based on manualized treatment protocols both for adults and adolescents with eating disorders.

Co-Chairs

• Samantha Berlow
• Andrea Vazzana

Our Goals

• Supports clinician in implementing these evidence-based treatments for eating disorders in real-world clinical settings
• Support researchers conducting studies of CBT-ED
• Enable professionals to come together to discuss ways to further refine CBT-ED and extend its use as well as to identify areas of need for future research

About

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Suicide SIG is a like-minded group of academic and health care professionals with expertise and/or interest in the application of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO-DBT) as applied for treatment of individuals with complex/comorbid high risk eating disorders. These treatments are designed for difficult to treat presentations including those exhibiting chronic and acute suicidality and therapy interfering behaviours that can be a barrier to treatment.

Co-chairs

• Raquel Friedman
• Lauren Yadlosky

Our Goals

• Educate clinicians, researchers, & the public on the relationship between suicidality, emotional under vs overcontrol, and eating disorders
• Promote utilization of DBT and RO-DBT across eating disorder diagnoses
• Reduce stigma within mental health care around personality disorders, eating disorder behaviors and suicidal thoughts, feelings or behaviors
• Continue identifying new findings related to treating comorbid eating disorders and suicidality
• Promote resource sharing among international professionals related to DBT and RO-DBT
• Discuss evidence based treatment developments to further improve the treatment for eating disorder behaviors

About

The Early Career SIG is a network of early career professionals representing a diverse group of fields and disciplines including psychology, medicine, nutrition, and public health. We serve early career stages including prospective/current students through post-doctoral and assistant faculty members.

Co-Chairs

• Blair Burnette
• --

Our Goals

• Provide a platform for members to both offer and receive guidance and mentorship during a critical period of professional development
• Promote resource sharing among early career professionals
• Foster research collaboration among members

About

The EDs in Jewish Communities SIG is a group of Jewish and non-Jewish professionals in the field of eating disorders. The primary focus of this SIG is to facilitate collaboration and mentorship between Jewish and non-Jewish professionals across various career stages, disciplines, and levels of religious observance. 

Clinicians of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds who treat Jewish clients are often left without a space to collaborate with other professionals of common goals, identities, and are underrepresented within the field. Our goal within the SIG is to create a professional international network of Jewish and non-Jewish professionals with various levels of observance who aim to find, share, and collaborate innovative methods of treating the Jewish population within the scope of eating disorder care and treatment. To achieve this aim, we will create opportunities and support Jewish and non-Jewish professionals in the field of eating disorders and associated disciplines around the world.

Co-Chairs

• Amani Joseph
• Elizabeth Parker

Our Goals

• Provide a forum to discuss roadblocks, resources, collaboration, and mentorship for Jewish and non-Jewish professionals
• Facilitate a supportive community for Jewish and non-Jewish professionals within the AED of various disciplines and career stages
• Collaboration to promote advanced culturally-sensitive care for Jewish clients within the frame of eating disorder treatment, between Jewish and non-Jewish providers in various levels of care.
• Promote the use of  progressive models of culturally-sensitive care to other marginalized or religious groups (i.e., Catholic, Muslim, Buddhist, etc.,)
• Promote psychoeducation regarding the socio-emotional impact of intergenerational, historic, and culturally-based traumas within the Jewish community.

About

The Epidemiology and Public Health Practice SIG seeks to unite researchers and practitioners with an interest in understanding the distribution and determinants of disordered eating within the population. The Epidemiology and Public Health Practice SIG functions as a source of support, consultation, and collaboration for members with an interest in understanding the complexities of eating disorder epidemiology and tackling related public health topics such as enhancing eating disorder prevention efforts, increasing early detection and treatment-seeking, addressing unmet needs for eating disorder treatment in the community, and developing ED interventions at the population level.

This SIG is open to all AED members with an interest in population health.

Co-Chairs

• Vivienne Hazzard
• Hannah Ziobrowski

Our Goals

• Promote research on the population-based measurement of eating disorders and disordered eating
• Monitor trends in eating disorder, subclinical eating disorders, and disordered eating symptoms
• Inform the public of and advocate for the importance of early detection, screening, and intervention for prevention of eating disorders

About

The Family-Based Treatment SIG is an interdisciplinary group of academic and health care professionals who are committed to empowering caregivers and family members to help loved ones fully recover from eating disorders. We are invested in delivering family-based treatments guided by the most updated scientific evidence.

Co-Chairs

• Barbara Reese
• Jessica  Van Huysse

Our Goals

• To examine how FBT is utilized in the community and close the gap between research and practice
• To explore broader application of the basic underlying principles of FBT in the treatment of eating disorders
• To share resources and current developments in the field and facilitate communication between researchers and clinicians
• To educate and provide support to the public and other clinicians about FBT
• To promote the inclusion of families in the treatment of EDs
• To enhance the implementation of FBT internationally and enhance connection to resources

About

The Gender, Sex, and Sexual Orientation SIG aims to be a forum for individuals to learn from one another and increase our understanding of eating disorder symptoms in LGBTQI+ individuals, informing prevention, treatment, assessment, research, and advocacy-related needs for this vulnerable community.  To achieve this aim, we will create opportunities to discuss recent research and clinical dilemmas, providing support for professionals working with LGBTQI+ individuals experiencing eating disorder symptoms.

Co-Chairs

• Wesley R. Barnhart, PhD
• Bek Urban, PhD

Our Goals

• Create a community of AED members who study, treat, and have experience with eating disorder symptoms in LGBTQI+ individuals across the lifespan.
• Promote collaboration among professionals across disciplines and levels of professional development.
• Provide a forum to discuss clinical dilemmas and needs/resources for professionals working with LGBTQI+ individuals with eating disorder symptoms.
• Provide education on recent research findings to discuss their use in furthering research and their applications to practice.
• Generate novel and clinically-relevant research ideas to fill gaps in scientific understanding related to eating disorder symptoms in LGBTQI+ individuals. 

About

The Genes and Environment SIG is a multidisciplinary network of academic and health care professionals with interest and expertise in the interplay of genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of eating disorders

Co-Chairs

• Laura Pascoe

Our Goals

• Educate clinicians, researchers, & the public about current findings pertaining to genetic and environmental risk factors for eating disorders and related conditions
• Develop greater unity among researchers and clinicians interested in the genetics of eating disorders
• Pave the way for novel collaborations and a transdisciplinary team-based approach to scientific discovery
• Educate the broader AED community regarding the role played by both genes and environment in the etiology, prevention, maintenance and treatment of eating disorders
• Foster research collaboration among members

About

The Males and Eating Disorders SIG is a diverse group of researchers, clinicians, and trainees dedicated to improving our understanding of eating disorders in males in order to enhance prevention and treatment with this frequently under-recognized population.

Co-Chairs

• Shaun Riebl
• Isaac Ou

Goals

• To advocate for this population within the AED membership and the public at large
• To increase the capacity among clinicians to successfully evaluate and treat this often overlooked and underserved population
• To increase research on males to improve our understanding of the nature, prevalence, etiology, and treatment of eating pathology in this population
• Resources
• N.A.M.E.D. - The National Association for Males with Eating Disorders 
• Men Get Eating Disorders Too website 

About

The Medical Care SIG welcomes all health professionals interested in the medical care of individuals with an eating disorder. The purpose of our SIG is to improve medical knowledge of eating disorder complications and treatment, and to improve clinical practice at every level of care.

Co-Chairs

• Michelle Bowden
• Laura Bridge

Our Goals

• Enhance collaboration between medical clinicians working at different levels of specialized eating disorders care
• Facilitate education of non-specialists involved in eating disorders treatment, such as general medical clinicians and hospitalists
• Support communication among SIG members, and with others involved in the treatment of individuals with eating disorders
• Develop educational opportunities, including conference panels and workshops related to our goals
• Provide a venue for the discussion of research related to the medical stabilization and treatment of those with an eating disorder

About

The Neuroimaging SIG is a multidisciplinary network of academic and health care professionals with interest and expertise in using neuroimaging to understand brain-behavior relationships in eating disorders

Co-Chairs

• Trevor Steward
• Carolina Makowski

Our Goals

• Educate clinicians, researchers, & the public about the role of neurobiology in the development & maintenance of disordered eating
• Promote utilization of best practices and keep up to date with recent developments in neuroimaging research to move the field forward
• Provide a forum to discuss topics related to neuroimaging
• Promote resource sharing among AED colleagues
• Increase neuroimaging content at the ICED conference
• Foster research collaboration among members

About

The Neuropsychology SIG is a multidisciplinary network of academic and health care professionals with interest and expertise in the role of neuropsychology in understanding the mechanism of eating disorders.

Co-Chairs

• Brianne Richson
• Samantha Weiss

Our Goals

• Educate the broader AED community about how experimental work can provide clarity in prognoses and maintaining factors of eating disorders.
• Educate clinicians and researchers about the role of neuropsychology in developing or planning intervention strategies.
• Educate clinicians, researchers, & the public about current findings connecting brain-behavior-illness in EDs
• Develop greater unity among researchers and clinicians interested in the neuropsychology of eating disorders
• Provide a comprehensive resources for researchers interested in implementing tasks or assessing relevant constructs.
• Increase neuropsychology content at the ICED conference.

https://vimeo.com/947107338/45b602d67e?fl=pl&fe=sh

About

The Nutrition SIG is an international network of academic and health care professionals with interest and expertise in nutrition therapy in the treatment of eating disorders

Co-Chairs

• Isaac Ou
• Matt Stranberg

Mission Statement

The Nutrition SIG offers membership to anyone who shares an interest and passion in the nutrition aspects of eating disorder treatment and prevention. The mission of our SIG is to reinforce the importance of nutrition research and the clinical practice of nutrition as an integral part of the multidisciplinary prevention and treatment of eating disorders.

Our Goals

• Achieve excellence in supporting individuals with eating disorders and their families through Medical Nutrition Therapy and nutrition counseling. 
• Promote evidence-based, weight-inclusive care with the goal of achieving holistic wellness and reducing risk of relapse and chronic illness.
• Educate clinicians, researchers and the public about how nutrition plays a role in the prevention, detection and early intervention of eating disorders. 
• Utilize shared expertise to develop resources for clinicians, educators and community organizations.
• Initiate and support research activities that furthers the evidence-based practice of nutrition therapy in eating disorders. 
• Promote international resource sharing among clinicians. 

About

Private practice providers across disciplines have different concerns, needs, and pressures than those working in academic, hospital or HLOC settings. Resources may be limited, and the setting may be isolating. And yet, private practice clinicians are often the frontline professionals who first diagnose and treat individuals with eating disorders. This special interest group seeks to provide the support, education, and resources that clinicians across disciplines need to establish and run a private practice AND meet the needs of people with eating disorders in their communities.  We offer webinars, workshops, consult groups, and an overall forum that is focused on needs pertinent to private practice such as translating research into "real world" community practice, business concerns, best practices, liability, working together with other treatment team providers, etc.

Co-Chairs

• Lauren Muhlheim
• Danyale McCurdy-McKinnon

Our Goals

• Create a community of support for providers who may experience isolation in the private practice setting.
• Promote resource sharing among providers that will enhance effective treatment of individuals with eating disorders in the private practice setting.
• Provide education on evidence-based treatments and their adherent and modified implementations in private practice.
• Share effective means of training and implementation of evidence-based treatments within the limitations of private practice.
• Share experiences in establishing successful private practices that meet the needs of clinicians and clients

About

The Professionals and Recovery SIG is a diverse group of people who are interested in exploring recovery from eating disorders from the perspectives of everyone involved in order to create a unified consensus definition of “recovery” vs “recovered.”

Co-Chairs

• Grace Hanna
• Alyssa Hamel

Our Goals

• Examine the biological, behavioral, medical and psychological characteristics of eating disorder recovery
• Understand the differences between clinical/research “objective” markers of recovery and the more “subjective” markers valued by clients themselves
• Acknowledge the presence a history of an eating disorder in many clinicians practicing in the field
• Define how to best ensure the health of these professionals and their clients
• Foster networking and research collaboration among members

About

The Sport and Exercise SIG is a multidisciplinary association of academic and health care professionals with demonstrated interest and expertise in the field of eating disorders and the interface with sport, exercise, and overall physical activity.

Co-Chairs

• Elizabeth Lampe
• Danielle Chapa

Our Goals

• Promotion of effective treatment and care of athletes with eating disorders
• Provide an environment to support the exchange of information among SIG members and other professionals involved in the treatment and care of athletes with eating disorders
• Facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and exchange of information regarding issues related to exercise, physical activity, and sport in the context of eating disorders onset, maintenance, and recovery. For example, supporting discussion on strategies for helping patients with eating disorders achieve healthy exercise
• Arrangement of forums (i.e., programs, workshops, panel presentations, conferences, etc.) to promote information exchange, as described above
• Development and dissemination of educational materials regarding the identification, treatment, and prevention of eating disorders among athletes; these materials are relevant for health care professionals, sport personnel, athletes, parents, and the general public.
• Encouragement of, and support for, quality research in the area of athletes and eating disorders

Resources

• Gatorade Sports Science Institute
• SCAN - Registered Dietitian
• NCAA - Sport Science Institute
• American College of Sports Medicine
• Australian Sports Commission - Sport Nutrition

https://vimeo.com/947108324/62c365f746?fl=pl&fe=sh

About

The Substance Related and Addictive Disorders  SIG is a multidisciplinary network of academics and clinicians with interest and expertise in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders and substance use disorders

Co-Chairs

• Megan Wilkinson
• Nassim Tabri

Our Goals

• Promote research and practice in the prevention and treatment of Substance Use and Eating Disorders
• Reduce barriers to treatment for the ED patient with co-occurring addictive disorders
• Promote utilization of evidence-based treatments
• Disseminate new findings related to treatment of EDs and SUDs
• Dialogue with professionals and agencies on EDs/SUDs
• Promote resource sharing among international professionals
• Increase EDs/SUDs content at the ICED conference
• Foster research collaboration among members

About

The Trauma and Eating Disorders SIG offers a forum for communication for AED members doing work in the fields of trauma and eating disorders, disseminates in a timely manner research results and clinical experiences related to trauma and eating disorders and provides opportunities for research collaboration and clinical consultation among AED members.

Co-Chairs

• Kim Claudat
• Lexie Convertino

Our Goals

• Educate clinicians, researchers, & the public on the interplay between trauma, PTSD, and eating disorders
• Promote utilization of evidence-based PTSD treatments
• Assess barriers in the delivery of evidence-based PTSD treatments
• Identify new findings related to treating comorbid PTSD and eating disorders
• Provide a forum to discuss topics related to trauma and PTSD
• Promote resource sharing among international professionals
• Increase trauma/PTSD-related content at the ICED conference 
• Foster research collaboration among members 

https://vimeo.com/944086969/c7d927638d?fl=pl&fe=sh

Mission

The mission of this SIG is to promote the multidisciplinary, international research and clinical application of telehealth interventions, technology and other innovative treatments to advance best practices in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders and related conditions.

Co-Chairs

Deborah Michel

Elissa Martinez

Objectives

• Promote excellence, standards of care, and best practices in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders and related conditions through telehealth, technology and other innovative treatments.
• Promote ethical use of telehealth, technology, and other innovative treatments in a rapidly evolving professional field.
• Review and support research activities to further the evidence base for the use of telehealth, technology, and other innovative treatments in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders and related conditions.
• Develop and share educational resources for professionals, educators, and the community at large on these topics.

About

The mission of the AED Universities Special Interest Group (USIG) is to discover, investigate, develop, evaluate, and share with college and university health professionals the characteristics and best models for supporting recovery of students with eating disorders who are attending colleges and universities around the world.

Co-Chairs

• Ashley Wood
• Allison Wagner

About

The Weight Stigma and Social Justice SIG (formerly known as Health at Every Size) represents a multidisciplinary group of professionals who work in research, practice, educational, and advocacy venues to end weight discrimination. We seek to further understand the impact and significance of weight stigma in the development and treatment of individuals with eating disorders, and we work to promote treatment, education, science and an evidence base for eating disorders that is grounded in a social justice framework and recognizes underrepresented voices. 

C0-Chairs

• Molly Robbins
• Rachel Hechinger

OUR GOALS

• Create a network of professionals interested in social justice and promoting HAES®-based practice
• Share resources and current developments in the fields of weight stigma, HAES®, and fat acceptance
• Promote research in the harms of weight stigma on physical and emotional well-being and interventions to eliminate a culture of weight stigma
• Educate the public and other clinicians about weight-inclusive approaches to healthcare (i.e., HAES®-based model)
• Collaborate with other SIGs and the broader organization of AED for the purposes of eating disorder prevention in the form of activism, position papers, and workshops at the annual conference

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