ABSTRACT

This qualitative study examined adolescent and caregiver perspectives on identification and early response in emerging eating disorders. Fifteen female-identified adolescents with an eating disorder diagnosis (M age = 15.20 years; 93% White; 20% Hispanic) and 12 caregivers (all biological parents: 1 father, 11 mothers; M age = 51.56 years) participated in semi-structured interviews about their experience identifying and responding to the eating disorder, eventually seeking treatment. Participants were recruited from three eating disorder treatment centers in the United States. Interview responses were coded by three raters using inductive consensual qualitative methods. Results found that parents were typically the first to notice and confront the eating disorder, and weight loss and thinness usually were the earliest symptoms identified. The most common adolescent response to detection was mixed (e.g., relief and anger), and common parental reactions included seeking professional consultation and creating limitations on disordered behaviors (e.g., encouraging eating). Barriers to earlier detection were highlighted (e.g., parental hesitancy to act on suspicions), suggesting that parents need greater support for swift and confident responding. To combat this, parents recommended increasing knowledge of eating disorder symptoms. Parents and adolescents both recommended parent-led monitoring of eating and exercise behaviors to increase the chance of noticing changes and responding quickly with aggressive and supportive action. These experiences provide a framework for early identification and the role of caregiver response, highlighting the need for assertive yet compassionate efforts to combat emerging eating disorders.

摘要

这项定性研究检查了青少年和照顾者对新出现的饮食失调的识别和早期反应的看法。15 名被诊断患有进食障碍的女性青少年（M年龄 = 15.20 岁；93% 白人；20% 西班牙裔）和 12 名照顾者（所有亲生父母：1 名父亲，11 名母亲；M年龄 = 51.56 岁）参加了关于他们识别和应对饮食失调的经历的半结构化访谈，最终寻求治疗。参与者来自美国的三个饮食失调治疗中心。访谈回复由三位评估者使用归纳共识定性方法进行编码。结果发现，父母通常是第一个注意到和面对饮食失调的人，而体重减轻和消瘦通常是最早发现的症状。最常见的青少年对检测的反应是混合的（例如，救济和愤怒），常见的父母反应包括寻求专业咨询和限制无序行为（例如，鼓励进食）。强调了早期发现的障碍（例如，父母对怀疑采取行动的犹豫），表明父母需要更多的支持来快速和自信地做出反应。为了解决这个问题，父母建议增加对饮食失调症状的了解。父母和青少年都建议以父母为主导的饮食和运动行为监测，以增加注意到变化的机会，并以积极和支持的行动迅速做出反应。这些经验为早期识别和照顾者反应的作用提供了一个框架，强调需要采取自信而富有同情心的努力来对抗新出现的饮食失调。父母和青少年都建议以父母为主导的饮食和运动行为监测，以增加注意到变化的机会，并以积极和支持的行动迅速做出反应。这些经验为早期识别和照顾者反应的作用提供了一个框架，强调需要采取自信而富有同情心的努力来对抗新出现的饮食失调。父母和青少年都建议以父母为主导的饮食和运动行为监测，以增加注意到变化的机会，并以积极和支持的行动迅速做出反应。这些经验为早期识别和照顾者反应的作用提供了一个框架，强调需要采取自信而富有同情心的努力来对抗新出现的饮食失调。