“Welcomed as I am, not as I am expected to be”: towards development of peer support for Autistic people with Eating Disorders
AI Summary
Peer support validates autistic-specific experiences and needs in eating disorder recovery, addressing barriers overlooked by conventional ED services.
Peer connections help build a positive autistic identity and offer acceptance, welcoming people as they are rather than as expected to be.
Community-led, autism-affirming peer support can guide recovery but must be carefully designed to prevent harm and avoid unhelpful peer dynamics.
Autistic people with eating disorders (ED) report different experiences and needs for ED treatment with a need to expand what existing support looks like. This qualitative study seeks to investigate the perspectives of Autistic people to examine whether peer support may play a role in ED recovery. Twenty-five Autistic adults with experience of EDs completed a survey enquiring about peer support for their community. Survey answers were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to generate emerging themes surrounding the perspectives and views towards bespoke peer support. Four identified themes encompass the importance and purpose of peer support for Autistic people with an ED: 1) Peer support to validate the unique considerations for Autistic people with an ED; 2) The importance of peer support to build a positive Autistic identity; 3) ‘Welcomed as I am, not as I am expected to be”: Autistic people’s hopes for peer support; 4) Where peer support may harm rather than help. This study is the first to establish community-led views towards the importance and purpose underlying peer support for Autistic adults with an ED. Generated themes can serve as an evidence base for future autism-affirming peer support for ED recovery.
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