The embodiment of women with learning disabilities has been absent from mainstream psychology research on body image and feminist literature on women's experiences of their body. In addition, the learning disability field has historically viewed men and women as genderless 'people' and 'individuals', and only recently have their subjective and gendered experiences been sought and voiced. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to explore how nine women with learning disabilities experienced their body, and discourse analysis was used to explore the interpretative repertoires they drew on in relation to their bodies. The IPA suggested that participants experienced their body as functional and fallible, they were interested in beauty regimes and appearance, were concerned about fatness and weight loss, and experienced rules and regulations with regard to their sexuality. The discourse analysis focused on the involvement of staff and parents in relation to participants' bodies, where participants drew on guardianship, commentator/critic and facilitation repertoires. The analyses are discussed in relation to the literature and a number of implications for services and clinical practice suggested.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:532644 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Creators | Griffiths, Jayne |
| Publisher | University of East London |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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