Theodoropoulou O, Holyoak L, Caswell N, Gardner KJ. The continuation of non-physical abuse from childhood to adulthood in eating disorder patients: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.
Child Abuse Negl 2024;
149:106661. [PMID:
38295605 DOI:
10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106661]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The ED literature has focused on the physical forms of childhood abuse with respect to eating disorders, overlooking non-physical abuse even though eating disorder patients report the latter either as primary experiences or as a revival of their childhood experiences. Additionally, there is no literature exploring whether adult eating disorder patients who have experienced childhood non-physical abuse continue to experience abuse as adults, and if they do, how well-being is impacted or linked with eating pathology.
OBJECTIVE
This study explored the lived experiences of eating disorders patients who have experienced non-physical childhood abuse in childhood and adulthood.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTINGS
Six adult female eating disorder outpatients each took part in a semi-structured interview.
METHODS
This study used the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis framework.
RESULTS
Three master themes and eleven superordinate themes were drawn from the analysis, addressing the research question: continuation of non-physical abuse across a lifetime, developmental factors and non-physical abuse, and non-physical abuse and eating pathology.
CONCLUSIONS
The participants' accounts indicate that childhood non-physical abuse is related to eating disorder onset, and abuse continuation in adulthood contributes to the disorder's maintenance. Moreover, the lifelong consequences of non-physical childhood abuse impact psychological factors, such as self-esteem, attachment and emotion regulation, affecting the individuals' adult lives and keeping participants inside a vicious cycle of trauma re-enactment. Low self-esteem is considered by the participants as the key factor for their disturbed relationship with food.
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