A 20-Year Content Analysis of Eating Disorder Research in Counseling Journals

Eating disorders (EDs) are prevalent in the United States, and their effects are deleterious throughout the lifespan. Counselors consistently work with clients who have EDs, yet there is a lack of research on EDs in counseling journals. Therefore, a comprehensive 20-year content analysis was conducted utilizing 23 counseling journals to examine existing literature on EDs, with specific attention to trends in publications, research methodologies, ED diagnoses, sample population characteristics, and article purposes. The authors initially identified 103 articles on EDs within the counseling scholarship, with 60 meeting criteria for this content analysis. Trends and patterns are explored with specific implications for future research and counseling practice. The authors present a call to action to the counseling profession, highlighting the importance of addressing existing research gaps to help infuse counseling values into ED treatment and contributing to interdisciplinary care for diverse clients.