Knight, Ruth (2022) An exploration of some contemporary risk factors for the development of disordered eating. PhD thesis, University of York.
Abstract
Eating disorders are amongst the most deadly and difficult to treat mental health conditions (Beat, 2015), thought to be influenced by many complex factors, including in part social pressures of body appearance. However, current understanding of eating disorders is based heavily on a very specific population; cisgender, heterosexual, able-bodied, white women (Burke et al., 2020; Fabello, 2020). Furthermore, modern advances in communication mean that the social context in which eating disorders develop is rapidly changing. This thesis examined whether a frequently used measure of disordered eating, the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) is fit for purpose in minoritized communities that deviate from the traditional eating disorder patient, as well as the role of social media (specifically ‘fitspiration’ images) as a contemporary eating disorder risk factor. The results identify a new structure for the EDE-Q that is relevant across genders and sexualities (bisexual, homosexual, and heterosexual). Data obtained suggest that both gender and sexuality had a small but significant influence on eating disorder symptomatology. We also find that although disordered eating thoughts and behaviours may influence our judgments of social media images of other people’s bodies, viewing such images has no immediate effect on the judgments we make about our own bodies.
Metadata
Supervisors: | Catherine, Preston and Timothy, Andrews |
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Keywords: | eating disorders; sexuality; gender; social media |
Awarding institution: | University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Psychology (York) |
Identification Number/EthosID: | uk.bl.ethos.858873 |
Depositing User: | Ruth Knight |
Date Deposited: | 20 Jun 2022 11:21 |
Last Modified: | 21 Aug 2022 09:53 |
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