Eating Disorders -- Therapy ; Feminism

Audiorecording; Constant Comparative Method; Female; Feminist Critique; Interviews; Outcomes (Health Care); Outpatients; Qualitative Studies; Human

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa continue to be serious eating disorders which primarily affect women. Some propose that the etiology of these disorders is sociocultural. Development of a feminist consciousness (which seeks to ameliorate sociocultural influences) has been proposed as an intervention to treat eating disorders. The purpose of this study was to examine the experience of women who participated in an eating disorder treatment program designed to develop a feminist consciousness. A qualitative feminist research method was used to conduct this study. Seventeen potential participants agreed to be in the study. Of these, ten women with eating disorders who had completed the intensive outpatient program designed to develop a feminist consciousness were interviewed. The interviews were audiotaped and then transcribed. The constant comparative method of data analysis was used to analyze the transcripts.The women described their experience of developing a feminist consciousness. At times it was anxiety-producing, but it was also very enlightening. Mistaken ideas about feminism were worked through. For these women the development of a feminist consciousness made possible a deeper understanding of the societal pressures upon them to conform to rigid ideas of womanhood. Two major themes, 'Acceptance' and 'Making Different Choices,' were identified. The theme of 'Acceptance' included three subthemes: (1) acceptance of themselves and their bodies; (2) acceptance of others; and (3) acceptance of their spirituality. The theme of 'Making Different Choices' included three subthemes: (1) making choices about depending on others; (2) making choices about how to express feelings of anger or loss of control; and (3) making choices about experiencing sexuality. Limitations of the study were that the sample consisted primarily of middle-class Caucasians, and they were from the same geographical region. Findings may be transferred to other women with eating disorders so they can decide what aspects of feminism might be helpful to them in their recovery. Further research, practice, and theory development using strategies to develop a feminist consciousness are recommended.

9780599098350

UMI Order AAI9911566

20040813

20150923

109878259