Die Rolle der Medien bei Entstehung, Verlauf und Bewältigung von Essstörungen

Abstract

ZusammenfassungEssstörungen gehören in westlichen Gesellschaften zu den häufigsten psychosomatischen Erkrankungen. Die Medien werden seit geraumer Zeit dafür verantwortlich gemacht, einer der Auslöser von Essstörungen zu sein. Beispielsweise konnte in mehreren Studien gezeigt werden, dass Medien ein unrealistisches Schönheitsideal vermitteln und dieses gerade bei jungen Rezipientinnen eine Unzufriedenheit mit dem eigenen Körper bewirken kann.Allerdings wurden 2 zentrale Aspekte bisher kaum betrachtet.Zum einen fehlt es an Studien, in denen die Erkrankten selbst im Mittelpunkt stehen und die Rolle der Medien in der Entstehungs‑, Verlaufs- und Bewältigungsphase einer Essstörung betrachtet wird. Zum anderen gibt es kaum Untersuchungen dazu, wie und in welchem Umfang die Krankheit in den Medien thematisiert wird und wie solche Darstellungen auf die betroffene Gruppe wirken.Auf Basis der bisherigen Forschung in diesem Bereich ist zu vermuten, dass die Wahrnehmung dessen, wie die eigene Krankheit in den Medien dargestellt wird, Konsequenzen für die Selbstwahrnehmung, das Wohlbefinden und das Handeln der erkrankten Personen hat. Der vorliegende Beitrag gibt einen Überblick über die komplexe Rolle von Medien im Rahmen einer Essstörung und zeigt vor allem Lücken in der kommunikationswissenschaftlichen Forschung zu diesem Thema auf.

Is there scientific relevance to the plot of films and documentaries about eating disorders?

“…In this regard, several authors have highlighted the role of the media in producing and maintaining ideologies, reinforcing or combating certain stereotypes, representing popular discourse and forming a collective culture related to certain phenomena (1,7,12,14) . As a result, the demands imposed by fashion and the media on body image have been identified by some studies as factors that have a negative impact, especially on women's and young people's mental health (1,6) .…”

“…Previous studies on media and ET aimed to analyze the impacts caused by the media through the production of aesthetic and dietary beauty standards in different environments and stages of life (2,(4)(5)(6)(8)(9)(10)(11)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20) . In general, such studies assessed the perception of body self-image, eating behavior and nutritional status, and some highlighted the influence of social networks in relation to individuals' body image (9,18,21) .…”

“…Specifically at the international level, the focus of both field (5)(6)20,22) and review (14,21,23) studies on media influence has been referring to the internalization of beauty standards, especially by the female population, resulting Western culture and the search for physical standards also imposed by society. On the national scene, recent literature that addresses the topic deals with the media's influential power on the younger population, taking into account the lack of preparation, in educational terms, of this public when using social networks as well as unique aspects inherent to the adolescence phase, such as the search for acceptance by peers and insecurity related to physical appearance, configuring them as a group of risk for developing ED (9,(15)(16)24) .…”

“…It is noteworthy that, of these studies, only one compiled evidence on television media, specifically advertisements and their influence on children and young people (13) . The others referred to printed media (women's magazines) (19) , social networks (2,18,(20)(21) and blogs, or to the media in general, without specifying the modality (4)(5)(8)(9)(14)(15)(16)(17)22) . This overview highlights the innovative potential of using cinematographic media as a source of data for research on the topic.…”

“…This overview highlights the innovative potential of using cinematographic media as a source of data for research on the topic. Furthermore, it is worth highlighting that an important review study developed in Europe (14) highlights that, despite the large number of research on the dissemination of unrealizable ideals of beauty by the media and their consequences on the development of ED, There is a lack of studies on the consequences and role of the media in the progression and coping by people who already have these disorders. Thus, these authors highlight the importance of developing studies that analyze how these disorders are addressed by different types of media, in order to deepen the understanding of how such representations also influence the group of people who are already ill.…”