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Uncontrollable behavior or mental illness? Exploring constructions of bulimia using Q methodology
Kate Churruca1, Janette Perz1, Jane M Ussher1
1Centre for Health Research, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, South 2751 Australia.
Journal of Eating Disorders
|November 27, 2014
Summary
Bulimia nervosa is understood in multiple ways, not just as a mental illness. These different constructions impact help-seeking and self-perception for individuals with bulimia.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Eating Disorders Research
- Mental Health Studies
Background:
- Bulimia nervosa is typically viewed as a mental illness in medical and psychological literature.
- Social constructionist perspectives highlight that understandings of bulimia are socially and historically situated, leading to multiple interpretations.
- Diverse cultural constructions of bulimia can influence help-seeking behaviors and treatment outcomes for individuals experiencing bulimic behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the range of culturally available constructions of bulimia nervosa.
- To understand how different social and cultural viewpoints shape the perception and experience of bulimia.
Main Methods:
- Employed Q methodology in a study involving 77 adults with varied experiences of eating disorders.
- Participants ranked 42 statements about bulimia and completed questionnaires on their knowledge and task engagement.
- Utilized by-person factor analysis with centroid factoring and varimax rotation to identify distinct viewpoints.
Main Results:
- Identified six distinct factors representing different constructions of bulimia nervosa.
- Constructions included 'bulimia as uncontrolled behavior,' 'bulimia is a distressing mental illness,' 'self-medicating with food,' 'pathological pursuit of thinness,' 'being the best at being thin,' and 'extreme behavior vs. mentally ill.'
- These varied constructions have significant implications for individuals' subjective experiences, behaviors, and potentially influence help-seeking and self-perception.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully identified multiple, distinct cultural constructions of bulimia nervosa.
- These constructions significantly impact the experiences and behaviors of individuals with bulimia.
- Further research into these constructions is recommended to better understand factors influencing help-seeking and self-perception in this population.
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