An exploratory case study using multiple cases investigated the question "What is the meaning of stealing in eating disordered women?" Seven women diagnosed with bulimia nervosa participated in in-depth interviews about this experience. The findings of these interviews revealed commonalities and variations in the patterns and dynamics of both stealing and bulimia. Important information emerged about this experience regarding restrictive family patterns, participants' reactions to these restrictions through stealing and the parallel restrictions and reactions of the bulimic behaviours they later imposed upon themselves. These results add new and in-depth information to the few existing quantitative studies and clinical knowledge addressing stealing in bulimic women. Recommendations for future research and implications for clinical practice were presented.

An exploratory case study using multiple cases investigated the question "What is the meaning of stealing in eating disordered women?" Seven women diagnosed with bulimia nervosa participated in in-depth interviews about this experience. The findings of these interviews revealed commonalities and variations in the patterns and dynamics of both stealing and bulimia. Important information emerged about this experience regarding restrictive family patterns, participants' reactions to these restrictions through stealing and the parallel restrictions and reactions of the bulimic behaviours they later imposed upon themselves. These results add new and in-depth information to the few existing quantitative studies and clinical knowledge addressing stealing in bulimic women. Recommendations for future research and implications for clinical practice were presented. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate