Psychological theories of anorexia

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Becks negative triad
Applied the depression model to anorexia. Negative view of self links with distorted body image, negative views of future means they dont think theyll be happy if not skinny, negative views of world means they think everyone views them as fat
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What does the negative triad lead to
It leads to a negative scheme in which they use to process any other information
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Fairburn- Distorted body image schema
Believes and attitudes about body become distorted, these occur due to high status of looking thin, self worth is linked with loosing weight
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Cooper and Turner
Patients with AN reported more negative beliefs about themselves, more likely to base self worth of body shape, compared to dieters and a control group with no eating issues
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Evaluation of cognitive theory- Face validity
AN is characterised by obssession with food and weight gain, assumption that AN sufferes have faulty cognitions makes sense thus has face validity
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Evaluation of cognitive theory- Real world application
Used to develop CBT and aims to alter distortions. Reviews of the treatment by Wilson showed CBT was most effective form of treatment
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Evaluation of cognitive theory- Critique of CBT effectiveness
Other studies have said its not better or worse than other treatments like family therapy, cognitive theory alone cant be used to explain AN
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Evaluation of cognitive theory- Cause and effect
Distortions and faulty cognitions may not cause anorexia but could be the effect of anorexia, however its said it doesnt matter as a causal link is all you need to create a CBT therapy
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Ignores other factors
It ignores other factors such as biological factors, social and family factors which can all play a part in the development of AN
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Features of an enmeshed family- Rigidity
A enmeshed family is very rigid, therefore it struggles to adapt to problems such as the daughter begining not to eat, this allows it to get worse and deny it is a problem as it doesn't fit in with the families identity
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Features of an enmeshed family- Lack of identity and autonomy
This causes them to desperetly want to gain independence, therefore they start not to eat to gain their own identity
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Features of an enmeshed family- Boundaries
Parents exert lots of control and create very rigid boundaries, the boundaries between parents and children is enmeshed and dont allow each individual member to have an individual identity
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Eisler and LeGrange
Over controling families lead to girls seeking autonomy by restricting food intake
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Michel and Wallarf
Positive correlation with AN in girls and controlling families/perfectionism values in families. Adolescents use AN to form an identity seperate from their families
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Latzer
Many AN girls reported being unable to have autonomy from an over controlling mother, this means resort to not eating which then spirals out of control
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Schwartz
Anorexics from enmeshed families lack identity, independence and autonomy due to the intertwined identities and rigid yet fuzzy boundaries and the lack of flexibility
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Evaluation of FST- Cause and effect
Family dysfunction could be as a result of the stress caused by an anorexic daughter in a family rather than the dysfunctional family causing the anorexia
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Evaluation of FST- Recent influx in AN
It doesnt explain why there has recently been an influx in AN when family dysfunction has occured throughout history
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Evaluation of FST- Face validity
As a theory it makes sense, and it appears effective as a theory
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Evaluation of FST- Explains the symptoms of AN
The fact that they stop eating as a way of gaining autonomy and identity means that it explains some of the specific symptoms rather than just the desire to be thin the social learning theory
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Evaluation of FST- Real world application
Developed family therapy, involving parents in childs treatment helped recovery significantly.
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Problems with studies into effectiveness of family therapy
Studies usually have a very small sample size, most of them are carried out in western cultures and are therefore not representitative of the effectiveness necesarily
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Social learning theory- Links 2 factors
Links western cultural ideal body shape and the desire to be a certain weight and size
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Social learning theory- How it works
Observation of a model they identify with being praised for being slim and loosing weight causes them to moedl their behaviour and start extreeme weight loss which can then spiral into anorexia
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Role of the media in STL study by UCL, KCL
UCL,KCL and institute of child health found that AN diagnosis increased by 15% since 2000 which supports idea that influx in media this century has lead to spike in AN
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Role of media in STL
Thin models are constantly portrayed in the media, social media etc. therefore people cant get away from these images.
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Tiggeman and Slater
Studied 1000 Australian teenagers, internet messages focussed on appearence positively correlated with internalisation of ideal body shape. Social media means access to images to compare yourself against an ideal body shape
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Becker et al
Studied Fijjian women, in 1995 TV was introduced and between then and 1998 74% thought they were too fat, cases of anorexia started to appear, thought its due to the fact that western body ideals were introduced
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Nasser
Compared Egyptian women in Egypt with Egyptian women studying in London. 12% of the women in London had traits of AN and o had traits in Egypt suggesting the Western media has a big impact on development of AN
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Evaluation of SLT- Gender differences
It accounts for gender differences in AN cases between boys and girls. Because boys ideal body shape portrayed in the media is not thin, there is less cases of AN. However, since the male ideal has become thinner, there have been more cases of AN in
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Evaluation of SLT-Reductionist
Like all SLT theories, it reduces a very complex disease to a simple observation and immitation response which means it ignores many other factors such as biological and family influences
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Evaluation of SLT- Ignores individual differences
Low self esteem, perfectionism and social anxiety are pre-disposing factors to developing AN, these are all ignored by SLT
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Evaluation of SLT- Cultural differences
Role models vary cross culture, SLT explains differences in rates of AN cross culture, Nassers research demonstrates this
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Evaluation of SLT- Role of free will
Free will is involved in developing AN, because it effects which moedls you chose to immitate , therefore whether you develop anorexia and this is acknowledged by the model
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Evaluation of SLT- Ignores other factors
All adolescents have access to media in western cultures, but only a tiny majority go on to develop AN,, therefore there must be other factors involved in the development of AN
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Card 2

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What does the negative triad lead to

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It leads to a negative scheme in which they use to process any other information

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Fairburn- Distorted body image schema

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Card 4

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Cooper and Turner

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Card 5

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Evaluation of cognitive theory- Face validity

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