Anorexia nervosa is an extremely dangerous eating disorder whose etiology has recently been examined in relation to difficulties in emotion regulation. The phenomenon of pro-anorexia (pro-ana) on social media sites and websites has also received recent attention; however, the functions served by these pro-ana accounts are not well understood. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the possible functions of these accounts, particularly with regard to emotion regulation, through the use of a Grounded Theory analysis. An emotion expression function was supported in this analysis, in addition to seven other functions: defining anorexia as a lifestyle, identity, or disease; discussion of anorexia as cyclically relapsing and recovering; defining what it means to be thin; defining the self as either fat or thin and thus worthless or good; motivating continued engagement in disordered eating; soliciting positive or negative attention from others; and the importance of images in the service of other functions. These functions of pro-ana social media sites can be used to improve treatment and support for those affected by anorexia nervosa both online and offline.
","abstract_html":"<p>Anorexia nervosa is an extremely dangerous eating disorder whose etiology has recently been examined in relation to difficulties in emotion regulation. The phenomenon of pro-anorexia (pro-ana) on social media sites and websites has also received recent attention; however, the functions served by these pro-ana accounts are not well understood. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the possible functions of these accounts, particularly with regard to emotion regulation, through the use of a Grounded Theory analysis. An emotion expression function was supported in this analysis, in addition to seven other functions: defining anorexia as a lifestyle, identity, or disease; discussion of anorexia as cyclically relapsing and recovering; defining what it means to be thin; defining the self as either fat or thin and thus worthless or good; motivating continued engagement in disordered eating; soliciting positive or negative attention from others; and the importance of images in the service of other functions. These functions of pro-ana social media sites can be used to improve treatment and support for those affected by anorexia nervosa both online and offline.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Krautbauer, Kate Happel"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Tamara Loverich","Karen Saules","James Todd"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2016-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:27Z","subjects":["Life Sciences","Physiology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/831","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Tamara Loverich","Karen Saules","James Todd"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Krautbauer, Kate Happel"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-03-14T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Life Sciences","Physiology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/831"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Anorexia nervosa is an extremely dangerous eating disorder whose etiology has recently been examined in relation to difficulties in emotion regulation. The phenomenon of pro-anorexia (pro-ana) on social media sites and websites has also received recent attention; however, the functions served by these pro-ana accounts are not well understood. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the possible functions of these accounts, particularly with regard to emotion regulation, through the use of a Grounded Theory analysis. An emotion expression function was supported in this analysis, in addition to seven other functions: defining anorexia as a lifestyle, identity, or disease; discussion of anorexia as cyclically relapsing and recovering; defining what it means to be thin; defining the self as either fat or thin and thus worthless or good; motivating continued engagement in disordered eating; soliciting positive or negative attention from others; and the importance of images in the service of other functions. These functions of pro-ana social media sites can be used to improve treatment and support for those affected by anorexia nervosa both online and offline.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A grounded theory analysis of the functions of pro-ana social media accounts"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Tamara Loverich","Karen Saules","James Todd"],"dc:creator":["Krautbauer, Kate Happel"],"dc:date.available":["2018-03-14T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Anorexia nervosa is an extremely dangerous eating disorder whose etiology has recently been examined in relation to difficulties in emotion regulation. The phenomenon of pro-anorexia (pro-ana) on social media sites and websites has also received recent attention; however, the functions served by these pro-ana accounts are not well understood. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the possible functions of these accounts, particularly with regard to emotion regulation, through the use of a Grounded Theory analysis. An emotion expression function was supported in this analysis, in addition to seven other functions: defining anorexia as a lifestyle, identity, or disease; discussion of anorexia as cyclically relapsing and recovering; defining what it means to be thin; defining the self as either fat or thin and thus worthless or good; motivating continued engagement in disordered eating; soliciting positive or negative attention from others; and the importance of images in the service of other functions. These functions of pro-ana social media sites can be used to improve treatment and support for those affected by anorexia nervosa both online and offline.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/831"],"dc:subject":["Life Sciences","Physiology"],"dc:title":["A grounded theory analysis of the functions of pro-ana social media accounts"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:27Z"}