Family identification is a protective resource for people with eating disorders because it ameliorates feelings of loneliness
Families play an important role in eating disorder recovery. Recently, it has been suggested that they can ameliorate the loneliness and social isolation associated with an eating disorder. However, the psychological mechanisms through which this occurs have yet to be systematically explored. Utilising the Social Identity Approach to Health, we explore whether identification with one’s family group positively predicts health and wellbeing in people with eating disorders due to its capacity to reduce feelings of loneliness. We investigate this in two studies (N=82; N=234), one of which was conducted in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. In both studies, we demonstrated that family identification protects health. This was apparent in participants reporting fewer and less severe ED symptoms, and in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, reduced eating disorder-related impact and reduced anxiety. In both studies, these benefits were attributable to the protective role of family identification against loneliness. Our findings provide a framework for understanding in general why family is so important in treatment, including in the case of adults. It also supports the focus in treatment on the family as a group rather than as a collection of interpersonal relationships.