Expand Your Horizon: A Qualitative Analysis of How Adolescent Girls With an Eating Disorder Describe Their Body Functionality

Objective Negative body image is thought to play an important role in the onset and maintenance of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The intervention Expand Your Horizon (EYH), which is focused on increasing functionality appreciation, is being investigated as a potential approach for improving body image. This study investigated the themes that were identified when adolescent girls with an eating disorder are asked to describe their body functionality within the context of EYH.Method Fifty-eight girls with an eating disorder received the EYH intervention and wrote about everything their body can do and why these functions are meaningful to them. The qualitative data were analyzed via Thematic Analysis.Results We identified five themes from the data: body functions as a means to experience and regulate emotions; body functions as a vehicle to form social connections; body functions as a means to experience independence and identity; how body functions are intertwined with the eating disorder; and the aesthetic body.Discussion This study highlights the importance of body functionality in the experiences and perceptions of adolescent girls with eating disorders. The findings support the idea that adolescents with eating disorders are able to appreciate their bodies for what they can do rather than focusing solely on their appearance.