Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1997. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 59-68). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1998. / Title from title page screen, viewed July 14, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Patricia A. Jarvis (chair), Deborah Gentry, Matthew Hesson-McInnis, Connie B. Horton, Margaret Nauta. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 82-93) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of British Columbia, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 136-141). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of British Columbia, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 136-141). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (MNutr)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Eating disorders are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in adolescent and young adult women. There is some evidence that Eating disorders may be more common in Jewish females than in their non-Jewish counterparts. Individuals with abnormal attitudes as defined by the Eating Attitudes Test (26-Item version) (EAT-26) are at increased risk of developing an eating disorder. School teachers are required to take an active role in the currently favoured ecological approach to the prevention of eating disorders. Objectives: The current study sought to determine the prevalence of abnormal eating attitudes and weight loss behaviours in a Jewish female adolescent sample and to investigate school teachers’ awareness of these factors and their attitudes towards a school programme to address these. Methods: A cross-sectional study of girls in grades 8 to 11 and teachers of both genders was undertaken at a “traditional” Jewish high school in Johannesburg, South Africa. A questionnaire consisting of the EAT-26 and a modified section of the United States Youth Risk Behaviour Survey (YRBS) was completed by pupils. A questionnaire developed by the researcher for the study was completed by teachers. Results: Two hundred and twenty pupils (response rate 84.3%) and 38 teachers (52.1%) participated. Twenty percent of pupils (n=43) had EAT-26 scores greater than or equal to 20 and 30.2% were found to require clinical evaluation for a potential eating disorder Thirty two point seven percent (n=72) of girls considered themselves to be overweight. Sixty four percent (n=139) were trying to lose weight at the time of the study and 19.1% (n=42) had engaged in one or more extreme methods of weight loss (fasting, purging or non-prescribed medication) in the past 12 months. Most teachers (81.6%, n=29) underestimated the proportion of girls requiring clinical evaluation and 71.1% (n=27) underestimated the extent of current weight loss attempts. Almost all (97.3%, n=37) the teachers recognised the need to address disordered eating attitudes and patterns in the school but only 34.2% (n=13) viewed the school as the appropriate place, would be prepared to participate and would give up class time. Conclusions: This is the first study to document the presence of abnormal eating attitudes among Jewish adolescent females in South Africa. The prevalence fell within the upper end of the range of rates reported in studies of adolescent girls in South Africa and abroad. Dieting and attempts at weight loss are common in this population and are also in keeping with the findings from international studies. This is the first study to measure teachers’ awareness of the eating attitudes and weight loss behaviours of girls attending the school at which they teach. The teachers participating in this study were not fully aware of the extent to which eating-related issues affect female pupils. Over and above this, there appears to be a resistance to facilitating and participating in a school programme addressing these issues. A qualitative exploration of this could yield valuable insights. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Eetstoornisse is 'n belangrike oorsaak van morbiditeit en mortaliteit in adolessente en jong volwasse vroue. Daar is bewyse dat Eetstoornisse meer algemeen mag voorkom in Joodse vroue vergeleke met hul nie-Joodse eweknieë. Individue met 'n abnormale houding soos gedefinieer deur die Eet-Houding-Toets (“Eating Attitudes Test”) (26-punt weergawe) (EAT-26) het 'n verhoogde risiko om 'n eetstoornis te ontwikkel. Daar word van onderwysers verwag om 'n aktiewe rol te speel in die ekologiese benadering om eetstoornisse te voorkom, wat tans voorkeur geniet. Doelstellings: Die huidige studie het gepoog om die voorkoms van abnormale houding en gedrag ten opsigte van eet en gewigsverlies in 'n steekproef van Joodse vroulike adolessente te bepaal, asook om ondersoek in te stel of onderwysers bewus is van hierdie faktore en hul houding teenoor 'n skoolprogram wat dit aanspreek. Metodes: 'n Dwarssnit studie van meisies in graad 8 tot 11 en onderwysers van beide geslagte was uitgevoer by 'n "tradisionele" Joodse hoërskool in Johannesburg, Suid-Afrika. 'n Vraelys bestaande uit die EAT-26 en 'n aangepasde afdeling van die “United States Youth Risk Behaviour Survey (YRBS)” is voltooi deur studente. Onderwysers het 'n vraelys voltooi wat vir die studie ontwikkel is deur die navorser. Resultate: Tweehonderd-en-twintig leerlinge (responskoers 84.3%) en 38 onderwysers (52.1%) het deelgeneem. Twintig persent van leerlinge (n=43) het EAT-26 tellings groter as of gelyk aan 20 gehad en daar was bevind dat 30.2% kliniese evaluering vir 'n potensiële eetstoornis benodig. Twee-en-dertig punt sewe persent (n=72) van meisies het hulself as oorgewig beskou. Vier-ensestig persent (n=139) het probeer om gewig te verloor ten tye van die studie en 19.1% (n=42) het betrokke geraak by een of meer ekstreme metodes van gewigsverlies (vas, purgasie of nievoorskrif medikasie) in die afgelope 12 maande. Meeste onderwysers (81.6%, n=29) onderskat die proporsie van meisies wat kliniese evaluasie benodig en 71.1% (n=27) onderskat die omvang van huidige gewigsverlies-pogings. Byna alle (97.3%, n=37) onderwysers het die behoefte erken dat versteurde houdings en eetpatrone aangespreek moet word, maar slegs 34,2% (n=13) beskou die skool as die geskikte plek daarvoor en sal bereid wees om deel te neem en klastyd af te staan. Gevolgtrekkings: Die teenwoordigheid van abnormale houding teenoor eet onder Joodse vroulike adolessente in Suid-Afrika word vir die eerste keer in hierdie studie gedokumenteer. Die prevalensie val binne die boonste deel van die reikwydte van koerse wat gerapporteer is in studies oor adolessente meisies in Suid-Afrika en die buiteland. Dieet en pogings tot gewigsverlies is algemeen in hierdie populasie en stem ook ooreen met die bevindinge van internasionale studies. Dit is die eerste studie wat onderwysers se bewustheid meet ten opsigte van die eethoudings en gewigsverlies-gedrag van meisies wat skool bywoon waar hul onderrig gee. Die onderwysers wat deelgeneem het aan hierdie studie was nie ten volle bewus van die mate waartoe eet-verwante kwessies vroulike leerlinge affekteer nie. Boonop blyk daar weerstand te wees teenoor die fasilitering van, en deelname aan 'n skoolprogram wat hierdie kwessies aanspreek. Verdere kwalitatiewe ondersoeke hiervan kan moontlik waardevolle insig bied.

Body image refers to how individuals experience and perceive their bodies and can be affected by many factors, including peers and family members. Adolescence is a time when body image concerns are emphasized due to the bodily changes of puberty as well as increased internalization of cultural ideals and pressure to adhere to those ideals. Appearance-related teasing is one particular sociocultural factor that is gaining attention in the research field due to the emphasis placed on appearance during adolescence. The current study examined how appearance-related teasing by peers, parents, and siblings affected young adolescents' body image both directly and indirectly via social comparison. Further, because body image is a multidimensional construct and can include body dissatisfaction and drive for muscularity, the present study examined both of these constructs separately. I collected self-report questionnaires from 73 adolescent girls and 67 boys in middle school. I used Pearson correlations, linear regression, and mediation analyses to examine these hypotheses. First, I hypothesized that adolescents who were teased about their appearance by at least one of their parents would also have siblings who teased them. I found significant correlations between both fathers' and mothers' teasing and siblings' teasing, suggesting that parents are modeling teasing behaviors to their children. Second, I hypothesized that appearance-related teasing by fathers, mothers, peers, and siblings would each be associated with body dissatisfaction for girls and drive for muscularity for boys. My findings indicated that mothers', fathers', peers', and siblings' teasing predicted girls' body dissatisfaction and that mothers' and fathers' teasing predicted boys' drive for muscularity. Therefore, appearance-related teasing appears to be detrimental behavior that negatively influences adolescents' body image. Third, I hypothesized that appearance-related social comparison would mediate the relationship between appearance-related teasing from all sources and body dissatisfaction among girls and drive for muscularity among boys. Appearance-related social comparison fully mediated the relationship between fathers' teasing and girls' body dissatisfaction and the relationship between mothers' teasing and boys drive for muscularity. My findings suggest that boys and girls who were teased about their appearance were more likely to engage in social comparison, which negatively impacted their body image. Therapists need to be aware of the role family members' and peers' appearance-related teasing play in the development of adolescents' body image in order to address the occurrence and negative effects of teasing. In addition, researchers will need to conduct future studies further investigating appearance-related teasing by family members and peers and design intervention and prevention programs to address teasing and social comparison among the family and peer contexts.

L'adolescenza si caratterizza come la fase della vita interessata dai maggiori cambiamenti somatici che derivano principalmente dallo sviluppo fisico e puberale. Questi cambiamenti, a volte repentini ed improvvisi, a volte più lenti e costanti, coinvolgono l'intera personalità e richiedono un impiego di energie psichiche e di riorganizzazione dell'intera Identità. Il presente lavoro è articolato in tre studi sperimentali. Da una prima traduzione e validazione del questionario “Body Esteem Scale” (Mendelson, Mendelson, White, 2001) e di conferma della griglia di codifica dello strumento “Mi disegno” originariamente creata da Witkin et al. (1962) contenuti nello Studio 1, sono stati esplorati il ruolo che rivestono il genere, l'età anagrafica e il livello di sviluppo puberale nella percezione dell'immagine corporea e di Sé, attraverso l'impiego di cinque questionari e del “Mi disegno” in un campione di adolescenti italiani di età compresa tra gli 11 e 17 anni, nello Studio 2. Lo studio 3 ha indagato le medesime variabili in due gruppi di adolescenti affetti da disturbi del comportamento alimentare (anoressia e obesità). I risultati evidenziano che il genere e l'età anagrafica discriminano le percezioni, le rappresentazioni dell'immagine corporea e il valore attribuito al Sé nel campione di adolescenti; queste percezioni corporee predicono inoltre il livello di autostima percepito. Nei confronti tra il gruppo clinico e un gruppo di controllo, il genere e il livello di sviluppo puberale percepito influenzano le percezioni corporee e le rappresentazioni delle anoressiche e degli obesi. / In adolescence, pubertal maturation is an important event in developmental process, marking the transition from childhood to adulthood. These changes involve a psychological recognition and a new organization of identity. This work is articulated in three experimental studies. The first translates and validates two instruments: Body Esteem Scale (Mendelson, Mendelson, White, 2001) and “Mi disegno” originally created by Whitkin et al. (1962). Second study investigate the roles of gender and age in body perceptions, body representations and self esteem in a Italian adolescents sample who ranged in age from 11 to 17 years old. Participants completed five self report questionnaires and the “Drawing Me Test”. Third study explore the same variables in two groups of clinical patients. Results show that the gender and the age influence the body image perception and predict the self esteem. Comparing the clinical group and control group, the gender and pubertal status perceived modify body perceptions and representation of anorexic and obesity patients.

There is a need to look at the determinants of exercise behavior in adolescents, as there is a large deficit of research concerning this population. The purpose of this study was to examine Social Physique Anxiety (SPA) and the body shape of adolescents participating in a semester of physical education class. A secondary purpose was to create general profiles by combining the SPA information and the Transtheoretical Model (TM) of behavior change. Middle school students (N= 374) participated by completing a regularly scheduled physical education class and completing the Exercise Behavior Change Survey (which assessed Body Shape, SPA and TM) pre and post semester. The study revealed participation in class had no effect on SPA levels or Body Shape scores, nor did the study reveal any gender differences with these two concepts. Concerning the TM, SPA may not be a factor for progressing through the stages of change, although it may effect which processes were utilized and how one identifies the pros and cons of exercising. The Social Physique Anxiety Scale only reached an alpha of .50, possibly contributing to the lack of relationship between SPA and TM. / School of Physical Education

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 58-59).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 148-161).