Eating disorder literacy and stigmatising attitudes towards anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder among adolescents

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O'Connor, C., McNamara, N. ORCID: 0000-0003-3123-3678, O'Hara, L. and McNicholas, F., 2016. Eating disorder literacy and stigmatising attitudes towards anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder among adolescents. Advances in Eating Disorders. ISSN 2166-2630

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Official URL: http://doi.org/10.1080/21662630.2015.1129635

Abstract

Little research has investigated adolescents’ understanding of eating disorders (EDs) or attitudes towards people affected by EDs. This impedes the development of targeted health promotion interventions. In the current study, 290 adolescents viewed a vignette depicting a target with either Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Depression or Type 1 Diabetes. Subsequent questionnaires assessed understanding of and attitudes towards the disorder described . Adolescents recognised the symptoms of depression significantly more frequently than any ED. Relative to depression and Type 1 diabetes, participants held targets with EDs more personally responsible for their illness and ascribed them more negative personality characteristics. The data revealed a particularly unfavourable view of Binge Eating Disorder, which was conceptualised as a failure of self-discipline rather than a medical condition. The results confirm previous findings that EDs are more stigmatised than other mental or physical health conditions and extend the findings to an adolescent cohort.

Item Type:

Journal article

Alternative Title:

Eating disorder literacy and stigmatising attitudes [short title]

Publication Title:

Advances in Eating Disorders

Creators:

O'Connor, C., McNamara, N., O'Hara, L. and McNicholas, F.

Publisher:

Taylor & Francis

Date:

2016