Last year a group of major research funders announced a new joint investment of £4.25m in UK eating disorder research. This followed the publication of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Eating Disorders’ ‘Breaking the Cycle’ report, that was compiled by Beat.
Beat is partnering with two of the funded projects to ensure that the voice of those with lived experience is at the centre of their work to expand and improve research into eating disorders.
A group of researchers, led by Dr Francesca Solmi at University College London (UCL) are developing a short questionnaire (8-10 questions) to show symptoms of ARFID in the general population. This questionnaire will help researchers to better understand what causes ARFID, who is at greater risk, and how treatments could be improved. They are seeking to form an advisory board of people with lived/living experience of ARFID (either as a carer or personally) to help design this questionnaire.
Who Are We Looking For?
A wide range of Experts by Experience with lived/living experience of ARFID (either personally or as a carer)
We are looking for individuals with experience of ARFID between the ages of 16-24. We are also looking for those with experience of caring for a loved one with ARFID.
We would like to ensure that these advisory groups are fully representative of communities across the UK. We are particularly keen to hear from those that identify as:
As part of this project you would be an Expert by Experience on an advisory board for the project. There will be a separate board for those that have experience of having ARFID and carers. These groups will involve the following:
- decide which questions should be included in the questionnaire
- ensure that the language used reflects the lived experiences of people with ARFID
- check that the questions are clear and relevant to a broad range of people
As part of this project you will be invited to training before attending an advisory board meeting in early 2024.
There will be further opportunities to support with the wider research project as this develops so we will keep you informed if this is of interest.
If you want to find out more about the project you can sign up to an Information session which will be held on Wednesday 29th November from 6-7pm on MS Teams.
To register an interest for this information session please complete the following form:
https://forms.office.com/e/H8ePp5g6Vh
This is a chance for you to learn more about the project, expectations, and how you will be supported throughout.
If you are interested in getting involved further you will be invited to the following:
There will be a dedicated Beat staff member available within the session to provide any support needed.
Payment
You will be paid £25 per hour for your participation in training and the advisory board. Your involvement in the information session will not be paid.
Your involvement in this project will help researchers to better understand what causes ARFID, who is at greater risk, and how treatments could be improved so we are looking forward to having your support!