Thesis, PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-47). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Marburg, Universiẗat, Diss., 2000.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / At present, there is little esearch on athletes' recovery from eating disorders. The research was designed to fill this void through three studies on recovery in athletes who experienced eating disorders. Study #1 included 49 collegiate female athlete participants with current or former eating disorders. They completed on-line questionnaires to determine persons and factors that helped their attempts at recovery as well as to measure their use of coping mechanisms. Mothers and friends were most frequently cited as helpful as well as hurtful to recovery. Not wanting to lose the ability to compete in sport emerged as the most important factor in assisting recovery. Coping mechanisms were interpreted using Folkman and Lazarus's (1980) transactional model. Results revealed that greater recovery was related to more use of problem-focused coping and emotional-approach coping strategies as well as less use of avoidant-style coping. Study #2 utilized in-depth interviews with 17 collegiate female athletes who had achieved at least three months of recovery from an eating disorder in attempt to better understand the recovery process in athletes. Results revealed a life-cycle of an eating disorder which had ultimately led the participants to recovery. The participants' reports indicated a variety of internal and external factors that helped and hindered the recovery process which were discussed and compared to the non-athlete literature. Study #3 provided advice to coaches, parents, and athletes based on the experiences of 16 collegiate female athletes who had achieved at least a three month period of recovery from an eating disorder. Participants most frequently encouraged coaches to address eating disorder symptoms, provide support, and refer athletes to professional care. Parents were encouraged to provide support, recommend professional treatment, avoid critical comments or judgments, and become more educated about eating disorders. Participants most commonly recommended that athletes with eating disorders keep hope for recovery, determine underlying causes of the disorder, and seek professional treatment. The results from all three studies provided implications for the sport community, which were discussed in detail. Overall, results indicated that the ability to participate in sport is a crucial factor in motivating athletes to recover from eating disorders. / 2031-01-02

No description available.

Rates of obesity and lifestyle related diseases have increased in the last decade, adding strain to the health care system. While research mounts for the protective benefit of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, the majority of Americans do not consume the recommended amounts. Successful strategies to improve healthy eating have utilized planning and goal setting to increase awareness of opportunities to eat healthy foods. Implementation intentions utilize if-then statements which describe potential situations to perform one's goal behaviors. In order to extend the research on implementation intentions and health behaviors, the role of romantic relationships will be investigated. Eating behavior is often part of a social environment allowing influence from close others to affect our eating choices. Romantic partners play an important role in eating behaviors due to the frequency of eating together and meal planning. Incorporating a partner's presence into implementation intentions to eat healthier was expected to improve the effect of implementation intention interventions. The first study investigated these hypotheses on individuals in relationships in an experimental laboratory-based design. The second experimental study aimed to determine if the benefit of the partner implementation intention intervention on couples requires both partners. Conclusions in each study were limited by methodological and sampling issues that occurred. Study 1 was unable to support the hypotheses due to the sample collected having low intentions to increase their fruit and vegetable eating. Study 2 suffered from unequal means in fruit and vegetable eating at the first session indicating issues with the measure or random assignment. These methodological concerns are discussed and areas for future research are explored.

Based on psychodynamic and object relations theories, 17 variables were proposed to be salient for those suffering from bulimia. In the present study four groups were compared: (a) bulimics with a prior history of anorectic-like behavior (FAB); (b) bulimics without a prior history of anorectic-like behavior (NAB); (c) a nonobese, nonbulimic group who evidenced excessive concerns about their weight (CAW); and (d) a normal control group (Control). Differences were predicted between both the bulimic and control groups as well as between both bulimic groups (FAB and NAB). Seventy-five women between the ages of 18 and 35 completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, the Eating Disorders Inventory, and Levenson's Locus of Control Scale. Results of a multivariate analysis of covariance procedure revealed differences across the groups on 12 variables. Post hoc testing indicated that both bulimic groups differed from the control groups confirming the first hypothesis. Further, the bulimic groups were differentiated from each other in the predicted direction on 10 of the 12 variables, lending support for the second hypothesis. Overall, the results suggest a progression of psychopathology and clinical symptomatology. In order of decreasing psychopathology were the following groups: FAB, NAB, CAW, and Control groups. Also, a discriminant analysis procedure identified 11 variables which successfully differentiated among the FAB, NAB and nonbulimic groups. It was concluded that within the syndrome of bulimia a prior history of anorectic-like behavior was related to increased psychopathology and clinical symptomatology. A clear distinction between the syndrome of bulimia and occasional instances of bulimic behavior was also indicated. Lastly, results of this study seemed to rule out excessive concerns about weight as a factor related specifically to the bulimic syndrome. Limitations and alternative explanations for the results are discussed and suggestions for further research are put forth.

No description available.

Eating disorders are known for their chronic and relapse-ridden course. The cyclical nature of these disorders poses not only grave physical and mental health risks for the sufferer; it also presents serious challenges for the treating professionals and places a high demand and cost on the health care system. In spite of extensive research, no reliable predictors of long-term EDs have been identified in either adult or adolescent populations, nor have treatments emerged that are specifically targeted towards treating those with a long-term ED. It is fundamental to understand who is at risk and what factors are involved in long-term EDs, as the clinical and treatment implications gleaned from this evidence could be quite impactful. The current project will include three studies that will explore long-term EDs in a large transdiagnostic sample of adolescents with an ED. It will also attempt to overcome methodological limitations associated with past studies of this type, and apply an operational definition of this course of illness that may provide a more reliable and valid method with which to identify these cases. As such, the use of the term refractory ED, defined as a return to same-type treatment, will be applied to best identify this group. The three studies proposed in this research project will provide long overdue information on predictors, profiles and growth trajectories of those adolescents who suffer from a refractory course of an ED. This research project attempts to answer the question of: who will be affected, and how will the individual be affected by a refractory ED. With the ability to identify these cases and how the course of illness is being affected, treatment approaches can better aim to provide the appropriate treatment to those individuals most at risk of suffering from a refractory course of illness.