Free Binge Eating Essay Example

Introduction

Binge eating affects 17% of African American female adolescents and 18% of white female adolescents. Binge eating represents a loss of control and is followed by vomiting, laxative use or excessive exercise. Binge eating is associated with poor psychosocial functioning. Causes of binge eating have been identified as: dietary restraint model; interpersonal self-concept model and the emotional coping model. The construct of this qualitative study was to develop an understanding of how the adolescents experienced these eating behaviors and their mothers’ experience (Palmberg et al, 2014).
The literature review was conducted appropriately, the authors cited information from peer reviewed articles that helped them to define the compensatory behaviors associated with binge eating and the psychosocial issues associated with the disorder. The majority of articles cited were published in the last 12 years and the information gleaned from them and was used appropriately in the article. A study by Abebe, Torgersen and von Soest (2012) supported the definitions and information that the researchers utilized.
The hypothesis is clearly stated. The researchers are looking to document the themes of the adolescent female subjects’ perspectives on their binge eating. However, the inclusion of mothers in the study is not identified in the introduction nor is there the presence of literature to define and support the inclusion of mothers in the study.

Methods

The participants consisted of 19 females with a median age of 14.52. They were recruited, along with their mothers through flyers that were shared with school counselors. The participants called and volunteered for the focus groups. There was an initial phone interview with the parent (all parents happened to be the mothers). After this brief interview, the parent gave consent and the adolescents were interviewed over the phone. Girls who reported drug or alcohol abuse and suicidal ideation were excluded. Nineteen pairs of mothers and daughters were used in the study. 11 were African American, 6 were white, 1 was Latina and 1 was biracial (Palmberg et al, 2014).
The girls completed the Loss of Control Eating Questionnaire over the phone which assesses binge eating, its characteristics and compensatory behaviors. In person, the adolescents completed the M.I.N.I. International Neuropsychiatric Interview Version 6.0 which assesses Axis I disorders. The interview protocols that were used included open-ended questions and probes that addressed: eating and emotions; defining binge eating and thoughts about it and culture, eating and weight (Palmberg et al, 2014).
The measures were appropriate for the purpose of a qualitative study. Each assessment measured the specific variables that the researchers had identified and were looking to collect data on. The only issue with measurements was the Loss of Control Eating Questionnaire, which is currently undergoing validation. This study will provide data to aid in its validation.
The procedure was to elicit open discussion among the adolescents in one group session and the mothers in a second group. The therapists were trained to facilitate the protocol that was in place for the study. The session were audio and video recorded and later transcribed. This allowed the participants to answer freely and for probing by the therapists to elicit responses from the participants (Palmberg et al, 2014).

Results

The results found that the adolescents revealed that they differentiated between snacking, binge eating, and loss of control eating and sneak eating. The researchers also found that the adolescents ate in response to both positive and negative emotional states. Culture and eating also played a role, the adolescents revealed (Palmberg et al, 2014). These findings have been documented in other studies (Abebe, Torgersen and von Soest, 2012).

Conclusion, Abstract and Reference Sections

The conclusion tied in the results with their hypothesis. The hypothesis was supported. The researchers sought themes in the adolescent girls’ binge eating and their perceptions of it. The study was limited in that it used a very small sample. A more comprehensive sample should be used when replicating this study. The inclusion of the mothers is never addressed. This study could lead to a quantitative study that could incorporate a larger sample and provide empirical data.

References

Abebe, D., Lien, L., Torgerson, L., von Soest, T. (2012). “Binge eating, purging, non-purging
compensatory behaviors decrease from adolescence to adulthood: A population based,
longitudinal study.” BMC Public Health 1232):
DOI http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/32
Palmberg, A., Stern, M., Kelly, N., Bulik, C., Belgrave, F., Trapp, S., Hofmeir, S., Mazzeo, S
(2013). “Adolescent girls and their mothers talk about their experiences of binge and loss of
control eating.” Journal of Child and Family Studies 23, 1403-1416.