An explorative study on the experiences of Bulimic women who have been sexually abused
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Date
2002
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of the Western Cape
Abstract
Eating disorders, rnay be conceived of as a psychological and physiological disorder'
which has received a large amount of attention from academics from various
disciplines. The incidence rates and aetiological factors involved in the development
of eating disorders, specifically anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa have recently
been highlighted. A number of researchers have suggested that sexual abuse is a
predominant factor in the development of bulimia while other researchers argue that
the relationship between sexual abuse and bulimia remains unclear- This study is a
qualitative exploration of bulimic women's experiences of sexual abuse and is
intended to highlight the 'lived experiences' of these women Thematic content
analysis was used to investigate the experiences of the women by using verbatim
quotes from the semi-structured interviews that were conducted with the women The
women were four participants who were admitted as inpatients into Kenilworth
Clinic's Eating Disorders Unit. All four women were diagnosed with Bulimia Nervosa
according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 1994) criteria and had
disclosed to a staff member that they had been sexually abused by either a known or
unknown perpetrator. Findings revealed that the participants trad experienced four
salient issues that were discussed as themes These themes were anger, issues
regarding control the participants' experiences of abusive relationships and feelings of
detachment. Based upon the findings of the interviews conducted, recommendations
towards enhancing the psychological well being of women who have been sexually
abused and diagnosed with bulimia were generated.
Description
Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych)
Keywords
Eating disorders, physiological, aetiological factors, bulimic women