Degree

BS (Social Sciences & Liberal Arts)

Faculty / School

School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS)

Department

Department of Social Sciences & Liberal Arts

Date of Award

Spring 2024

Date of Submission

2024-06-26

Advisor

Dr. Saima Bint-e-Saif, Assistant Professor SSLA, Department of Social Sciences

Committee

Dr. Habiba Zaheer, Visiting Faculty, Department of Social Sciences

Project Type

SSLA Culminating Experience

Access Type

Restricted Access

Keywords

Disordered Eating, Family, Body Image Perceptions, Commentary, Influences/Pressures

Abstract

Eating disorders (Eds) detrimentally affect a person’s physical, emotional, and social well-being. Among the major eating disorders, bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa are the two most significant and evident in the youth of developing countries like Pakistan. Two primary risk factors that can lead to developing a full-blown eating disorder and can help in mapping the manifestation of the said disorders include, disordered eating and negative body image perceptions. Sociocultural influences, such as family members are pivotal in the development of maladaptive body image and disordered eating behavior. This research investigated the impact of family on eating disorder symptomology in a non-clinical sample of young women in Karachi, Pakistan, offering insights into the lived experiences of women who encounter this phenomenon. This study incorporated a cross-sectional, formative research method with a qualitative approach utilizing semi structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 8 female participants between the ages of 18 – 28 who self-identified as having unhealthy eating behaviors and negative body image perceptions. Qualitative responses from participants were thematically analyzed to produce in-depth insight on the impact that family has on disordered eating behavior and body image perceptions.

Themes from interviews highlighted that familial, especially parental influence in the form of direct and indirect comments impacted women’s eating habits and perceptions about themselves. Five subthemes were identified for family commentary including concerned commentary, teasing, critical commentary, comparison with others and gender differences in commentary. Two subthemes were identified for modeling and control and mealtimes and dawats, family modeling of disordered eating and body shaping behaviors, family exerting control and eating together vs. separately and dawats and dissonance, respectively. Two subthemes were also identified for Rishta culture and social ownership of weight, these included, externalized fear of not getting married by family, internalized fear of the individual, criticism of others’ weight outside the family and being criticized by others outside of the family, in that order. Sub themes of body image perceptions comprised of internalizing the acceptable thin ideal, debunking the thin ideal along with awareness among family. While sub themes for fat talk involved fat talk for validation, for communicating preferences of body type and disengagement in fat talk due to criticism. For disordered eating behavior the subthemes that emerged were, encouragement and discouragement by family, disordered eating behaviors as a coping mechanism (e.g., binging in response to hurtful comments), disordered eating behaviors to pacify familial comments (e.g., restricting to avoid comments), impacts of disordered eating and secrecy in eating. The study suggests future research directions to develop a deeper understanding of each subtheme and to develop interventions that support women’s wellbeing and better their experiences with eating and body image within the context of family.

Pages

98

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