Narratives of males with eating disorders

For years, eating disorders, particularly anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, have been studied extensively among adolescent girls and young women. However, despite recent research revealing a significant percentage of men display behaviours related to eating disorders, their individual experiences remain relatively unstudied. Additionally, given the reality that many males usually conceal or deny having the disorder, few studies yielding in-depth accounts of their lived experiences have also not been completed. This study, however, examined, through narrative inquiry, the experiences of two young adult males who were medically diagnosed with and treated, or were presently being treated, for disordered eating. Though each was not impervious to societal and familial pressures to look and be perfect, such pressures, tragically, were exacerbated by the pronounced fear, and actual experience, of being stigmatized by helping professionals. These findings provide a preliminary understanding of the threat that disordered eating poses for males, irrespective of background and lifestyle. Aside from having implications for theory, these findings are also expected to contribute in ways that will help to inform the practices of counsellors and therapists in the field of psychology.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Education (M.Ed.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Psychology and Special Education

Grantor

University of Saskatchewan

Year dc:date.issued

2004

Author dc:creator

• Ashuk, Ryan M.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Pawlovich, Walt

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Schwean, Vicki L.
• Robinson, Sam
• Nicol, Jennifer A. J.
• Wickett, R. E. Y. (Reg)

• Males
• Narratives
• Eating Disorders

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10388/etd-09192004-151449

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:harvest.usask.ca:10388/etd-09192004-151449