‘My teacher saved my life’ versus ‘Teachers don't have a clue’: an online survey of pupils’ experiences of eating disorders

Abstract

Background: Eating disorders (ED) have a peak rate of onset in school-aged children. Little is known about pupils' experiences of ED within a school setting. Method: Five hundred and eleven 11-to 19-year-old school pupils completed an online questionnaire exploring their experiences of ED (72% female, 28% male). Responses were analysed using content analysis principles. Results: Of the participants, 38% had a current or past ED, 49% of these had never received a formal diagnosis. Of the respondents, 59% saw a need to raise ED awareness. Only 7% would confide in a teacher about an ED. Conclusions: Efforts are needed to break down barriers to disclosure and support teachers to play an effective role in the detection and early intervention for ED. Key Practitioner Message• Eating disorders are at their most prevalent amongst young people of secondary school age • Early recognition and intervention lead to far more successful outcomes both short term and long term • Teachers are in an excellent position to spot eating disorder warning signs but currently do not do so consistently • Whilst pupils feel confident in spotting eating disorder warning signs, they are reluctant to report concerns to a teacher due to fears around confidentiality, inappropriate reactions and perceived stigma • Teachers and peers can play an important role in eating disorder recognition and recovery; improved education and training is needed for both school staff and students in order for this potential to be realised

A life put on hold: adolescents' experiences of having an eating disorder in relation to social contexts outside the family

“…Many adolescents with eating disorders have friends who try to be supportive, but fail to give the kind of help that the young person needs. 46 In the present study, Matilda described how her friend sent her pictures of extremely thin people to deter her, but instead it motivated Matilda to lose even more weight. Most people in treatment want to be treated as “normal” and not pampered, 46 and giving the right support seems to be somehow about finding a balance between compliance and concern.…”

“… 46 In the present study, Matilda described how her friend sent her pictures of extremely thin people to deter her, but instead it motivated Matilda to lose even more weight. Most people in treatment want to be treated as “normal” and not pampered, 46 and giving the right support seems to be somehow about finding a balance between compliance and concern. Otherwise, the support tends to be controlling and not as helpful as it was meant to be.…”

“…For example, those who first recognized their symptoms were usually people outside the immediate family, which is also in line with previous research. 46 In many families today, parents and adolescents spend a lot of time apart, and microsystems other than family of origin have a major impact on young people’s lives. Therefore, attachments initially linked to one’s parents might be applied to other adults or close friends.…”

Treatment of anorexia nervosa: a multimethod investigation translating experimental neuroscience into clinical practice

“…The qualitative components were used to either inform intervention development, 63,65 or as process evaluations of the interventions tested. [158][159][160]167,409 Both approaches have been highly valuable and have added much needed detail to inform the iterative process of intervention development and testing.…”

Insatisfação com a imagem corporal em professores de Educação Física atuantes na Educação Infantil

“…É por meio dos professores de Educação Física que a escola tem possibilidade de proporcionar apoio aos alunos que possuem alguma condição irregular de saúde, para que recebam a devida atenção e aconselhamento adequado 30 .…”