A Scoping Review of Eating Disorder Clinicians' Experiences, Needs, Views and Wellbeing

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Clinical Psychology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Eating disorders (ED) are severe mental illnesses with rising global prevalence, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Increased demand on ED services has intensified workload pressures on clinicians.
• The wellbeing and experiences of ED clinicians have not been recently investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine recent literature on ED clinicians' experiences, needs, and wellbeing.
• To identify areas for future research and intervention to improve clinician support.
• To enhance quality of life for clinicians and improve patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted.
• Searches covered eight databases and gray literature from 2014-2024.
• Mixed-methods data were analyzed using narrative synthesis after quality and bias assessment.

Main Results:

• Sixty-three studies involving 3,152 multidisciplinary ED clinicians were analyzed.
• High job satisfaction and positive attitudes coexist with negative impacts of workplace demands on clinician wellbeing.
• Clinicians experience an 'emotional rollercoaster' and cite lack of resources as a major obstacle.

Conclusions:

• Working with ED patients is emotionally challenging but generally viewed positively by clinicians.
• Organizational factors, insufficient staffing, and inadequate training hinder effective service delivery.
• Addressing resource limitations and providing targeted support are crucial for clinician wellbeing and service improvement.