Functions of disordered eating behaviors: a qualitative analysis of the lived experience and clinician perspectives

Journal of Eating Disorders

Research

Abbigail Kinnear¹  Lindsay P. Bodell¹  Philip C. Masson¹  Jaclyn A. Siegel² 

[1] Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada;Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada;Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA;

关键词: Eating disorders;    Functions;    Binge eating;    Restricting;    Purging;    Clinicians;    Thematic analysis;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s40337-023-00854-4

 received in 2023-02-07, accepted in 2023-07-28,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundOne method to improve treatment outcomes for individuals with eating disorders (EDs) may be understanding and targeting individuals’ motives for engaging in DE behaviors—or the functions of DE behaviors. The goal of this study was to investigate and categorize the various functions of DE behaviors from the perspectives of adults who engage in DE behaviors and clinicians who treat EDs.MethodsIndividuals who engage in DE behaviors (n = 16) and clinicians who treat EDs (n = 14) were interviewed, and a thematic analysis was conducted to determine key functions of DE behaviors.ResultsFour main functions of DE behaviors were identified by the authors: (1) alleviating shape, weight, and eating concerns; (2) regulating emotions; (3) regulating one’s self-concept; and (4) regulating interpersonal relationships/communicating with others.ConclusionsDifferences in participant responses, particularly regarding the relevance of alleviating shape and weight concerns as an DE behavior function, highlight the importance of individualized conceptualizations of DE behavior functions for any given client.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2023

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