A preventative intervention program was administered to a non-clinical population deemed at risk for the development of eating disorders. Two-hundred and three women from a large southwestern state university who belonged to four campus sororities participated in the intervention. Members of the two sorority houses served as the control group while members of the other two houses served as the experimental group during the eight-week intervention. The intervention consisted of five workshops involving risk factors identified with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The intervention included workshops on basic information on eating disorders, exercise, stress management, nutrition, self-esteem, and body image. Compared to the control group, the experimental group displayed significantly lower scores on the Ineffectiveness sub-scale and the Bulimia sub-scale of the Eating Disorder Inventory. The present study demonstrated that a population highly susceptible to disordered eating, was open to and positively affected by, an intervention procedure.

Anthropology has long understood that cultures proscribe gender-specific roles. This thesis explores how gender role dynamics in America may contribute to more college women going abroad to study than college men. The past decade of data consistently indicates that two-thirds of American students studying abroad are female. While this statistic seems counterintuitive to the stereotype that Americans rear boys to be adventurous and girls to be protected; ethnographic methods were primarily used to identify and analyze the cultural scripts that influence female decision-making among this population. This research will reflect the web of complex and competing cultural scripts students face regarding the decision to study abroad, many of which are at least influenced by gender and socially transmitted by their families. / Department of Anthropology

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Ethnic differences in etiological factors linked to body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders were examined. In addition, the interaction of acculturation and body image dissatisfaction in influencing minority women's relationships with their parents was investigated. Participants consisted of 302 undergraduates from three ethnic groups: Caucasian, Hispanic American, and African American women who were administered self-report measures. Differences were not found between the groups in body image dissatisfaction. Low self-esteem, internalization of the thin ideal, and family emphasis on weight and appearance were all related to more body image dissatisfaction for each of these groups; however, differences in degree of endorsement were also noted between the ethnic groups on these factors. Based on the interaction findings (body image x acculturation) separation from one's mother was found in the area of attitudes and emotions for the Hispanic sample but not for the African American sample on any of the parent scales. Areas for future research and implications for diagnosis and treatment of minority populations are also discussed.

This study sought to explore the lived experiences of five female, first-generation, low-income students who attend a metropolitan commuter university, and investigate how a structured undergraduate research experience exerts influence on the women's academic and social involvement. A qualitative case study with a narrative and grounded theory analysis was selected as the most appropriate approach for exploring this topic and addressing the guiding research questions. Interview and journal data were collected and analyzed to identify significant themes. The importance of finding an academic home, the significance of interacting with faculty and peers, and the validation of a metropolitan commuter university education through a scholar development process emerged as significant findings. Implications and recommendations on programmatic and institutional levels are included, as well as suggestions for future research.