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- Gustafsson, Sanna Aila, 1972-
(författare)
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The importance of being thin : perceived expectations from self and others and the effect on self-evaluation in girls with disordered eating
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall aims of this thesis were to examine personal standards, self-evaluation and attitudes to eating and weight in the development of disturbed eating in adolescent girls, and to examine how adolescent girls with a clinical eating disorder reflect upon and deal with perceived expectations in daily life.Studies I and II were quantitative studies, conducted in a population-based longitudinal study. Studies III and IV were qualitative interview studies of girls who were suffering from eating disorders and the data were analysed using a phenomenographic approach.Study I showed that high personal standards expressed in a competitive way were specific for the girls with disturbed eating. These girls also reported a negative physical self-evaluation and often believed that thinness would make them more popular. In study II variables concerning attitudes to eating and weight and physical self-evaluation emerged as risk factors for disturbed eating, whereas personal standards or self-evaluation in general did not. Protective factors were a low BMI, healthy eating attitudes, an accepting attitude towards body size and a positive self-evaluation. Three categories of perceived expectations were described in study III: expectations from others, self-imposed expectations and conflicting expectations. Many informants had problems identifying expectations that were not explicit and they interpreted them as self-imposed. In study IV the various ways in which the informants reflected on dealing with these expectations were summarized into three qualitatively different conceptions: being oneself, adapting to different situations and presenting oneself in a positive light. These conceptions were expressed in five patterns of action, which could have various functions for different individuals and in different situations.The results suggest that in order to prevent and treat eating disorders and related problems it is essential to integrate both intrapersonal and contextual factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of these conditions.
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| 2. |
- Lindstedt, Katarina, 1979-
(författare)
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A life put on hold : inside and outside perspectives on illness, treatment, and recovery in adolescents with restrictive eating disorders
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall aim of this thesis was to study adolescents with restrictive eating disorders in relation to illness, treatment, and recovery from an inside and outside perspective. Studies I and II are based on data from a national quality register for eating-disorder treatment. Studies III and IV are based on interviews with adolescents previously treated in outpatient care for a restrictive eating disorder. The results showed that 55% of the adolescents were in remission at the end of treatment, and 85% were within a healthy weight range. The average treatment duration was 15 months. Over the years 1999–2014, remission rates and weight recovery increased, whereas treatment duration decreased. Young patients who received mainly family-based treatment had the highest probability of achieving remission at one-year followup, but the patients themselves were most satisfied with individual therapy. The interviews with the adolescents revealed that they often felt a strong ambivalence during the first treatment sessions, both regarding being defined as sick and the involvement of their parents. In retrospect they believed that family involvement was important, but that individual treatment sessions were crucial. The informants highlighted that trust in the therapist was the key to successful treatment. The adolescents’ narratives drew a picture of a life that was “put on hold” during the time of illness, as their involvement in social contexts outside the family was strongly influenced. It was in these contexts that their problems first became visible, and the quality of their interpersonal relationships played a great role in the recovery process. The results suggest that treatment for adolescents with restrictive eating disorders should be better adapted to changed social structures and patients’ individual contexts – a relevant area for future research.
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| 3. |
- Fogelkvist, Maria, 1983-
(författare)
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Body image in patients with residual eating disorder symptoms : treatment effects of acceptance and commitment therapy and participants' reflections
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall aim of this thesis was to evaluate an acceptance and commitment (ACT) group intervention targeting body image in patients with residual eating disorder (ED) symptoms, including treatment effects and participants’ reflections on body image and the intervention. Studies I, II and III are based on a randomized controlled trial including 99 patients that were randomized to the ACT intervention or to continue treatment as usual (TAU). Different self-assessment questionnaires were administered before and after the intervention and at follow up by one and two years. Study IV is based on interviews with patients that had completed the intervention, and did not participate in the trial. From written evaluations in study I body image was shown to mean different things for different individuals. This was also shown by different expectations on treatment. Study II showed that the ACT intervention was superior to TAU in reducing ED symptoms and body dissatisfaction, while care consumption was lower. In addition, ratings of dropout was low. In study III, it was shown that symptom improvement from the ACT intervention rather than TAU was more pronounced in participants with restrictive ED psychopathology. Participants who displayed binge eating and/or purging ED psychopathology, showed improvement on ED symptoms regardless of intervention. Participants younger than 25, and with lower ratings at baseline, showed no improvement on ED symptoms if continuing with TAU. From interviews with participants in study IV, the intervention was described as demanding, and participants described the importance of their own efforts. Specific processes of the intervention were helpful and the context of the group and context outside of treatment could facilitate or hinder progress. Perceived changes in body image differed between participants in study I, showing the potential breadth of the intervention.Conclusions from this thesis was that an intervention based on ACT targeting body image was suitable and helpful for patients with residual EDsymptoms. Though the intervention was demanding, dropout was low, and specific processes were described as helpful.
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