Eating disorder treatment experiences among racially/ethnically minoritized samples

Although eating disorders (EDs) affect individuals of all races and ethnicities, racially/ethnically minoritized individuals are less likely to receive ED treatment than White individuals. The present study aimed to compare ED treatment experiences in a sample of racially/ethnically minoritized individuals vs. White participants. As a secondary aim, we explored how acculturation and mental health stigma factors were associated with treatment experiences. We recruited 41 White and 27 racially/ethnically minoritized individuals with a history of EDs (with all racially/ethnically minoritized individuals having to be categorized into one group due to limited power to conduct analyses across groups). Participants completed an assessment of their treatment experiences, ratings of the helpfulness of each treatment, self-reported barriers to treatments, their level of acculturation, and their tolerance towards stigma. We found that racially/ethnically minoritized participants reported receiving a significantly lower total number of ED treatments than White participants. Second, racially/ethnically minoritized participants were significantly less likely to seek out inpatient and day treatment/partial hospitalization than White participants. Third, racially/ethnically minoritized rated nutritionists and residential treatment as significantly less helpful than White participants. Fourth, racially/ethnically minoritized participants identified the lack of cultural competence among providers as a significantly more substantial barrier to treatment than White participants. Finally, among racially/ethnically minoritized participants, higher immersion in dominant society correlated positively with perceived helpfulness of ED treatment. These insights can guide the development of targeted interventions aimed at mitigating treatment barriers and enhancing treatment outcomes for racially/ethnically minoritized individuals affected by EDs.