Anorexia nervosa in a girl of Chinese origin: Psychological, somatic and transcultural factors

Abstract

The increased prevalence of anorexia nervosa reported in non-Western societies inevitably raises the issue of the influence of cultural factors in the genesis and the patterns of this disorder. Anorexia nervosa is not a straightforward Western culture-bound syndrome, although an influence of Western ideals of thinness does exist. The illness seems more related to rapid cultural shifts, either societal or individual, such as those occurring in the migratory process. Migrants and their children have to face the acculturation process and may experience a culture-clash. The pathology can also fulfil a positive acculturative function. This is a case study concerning a second-generation Chinese girl born in France presenting with anorexia nervosa. This case leads us to raise the issue of the choice of diagnostic criteria in relation to cultural background. We will also discuss the impact of the family's migratory history on the construction of identity in adolescence. Finally we will explore the specific features of care provision for anorexia nervosa in a transcultural setting.

Recovery from Anorexia Nervosa in contemporary Taiwan: A multiple-case qualitative investigation from a cultural-contextual perspective

“…Paradoxically, this distinctive dynamic can frequently backfire and lead to more intrafamilial conflicts and parental interference as a result, as demonstrated by our participants. These above findings and observations find support in a number of other recent empirical studies, which have linked AN in non-Western countries and populations to cultural clashes (Chan & Ma, 2002; Cheng, 2014; Ma, Chow, Lee, & Lai, 2002) and to acculturative stress (Demarque et al., 2015; Lai, 2000; Kawamura, 2011), respectively, due to the rapidly increasing Westernization in those countries and regions.…”

Eating disorders treatment experiences and social support: Perspectives from service seekers in mainland China

“…While most research about EDs have been done in Western countries (Kim, Nakai, & Thomas, 2021), EDs can manifest differently in Chinese versus Western cultures. For example, preoccupation with body shape/weight are a key diagnostic criterion of EDs and are common in Western countries (APA, 2013; WHO, 1993), but far less likely among Chinese individuals diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN; Agüera et al, 2017; Demarque et al, 2015) and bulimia nervosa (BN; de Montgrémier, Chen, Chen, & Moro, 2017). Nevertheless, Western definitions of EDs are commonly portrayed to the Chinese public (Sun, He, Fan, Chen, & Lu, 2020).…”