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Adolescents’ perception of the severity of binge eating disorder: a population-based study.
- Source :
-
Journal of Mental Health . Feb2016, Vol. 25 Issue 1, p16-22. 7p. 2 Charts. - Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Background: Binge eating disorder (BED) is relatively common in young people and is associated with marked impairment in physical and mental health. Aims: We examined perceptions of the severity of BED in a population-based sample of adolescents. Methods: Male (n = 531) and female (n = 1135) adolescents recruited from 12 Australian schools completed a survey that featured a vignette of a fictional female school student suffering from BED followed by a series of questions addressing perceptions of severity. Results: Approximately half of participants agreed or strongly agreed that BED is a serious problem (male: 52.0%; female: 63.2%) requiring professional treatment (male: 48.2%; female: 54.5%). Approximately one-third of boys (30.7%) believed that BED is primarily a problem of "lack of will power/self-control", whereas one in five girls (19.3%) held this view. Less than half of participants (male: 42.7%; female: 44.1%) believed that someone with BED would be deserving of sympathy. Conclusion: The findings suggest that many adolescents, boys in particular, do not consider BED to be a serious mental health problem and believe that individuals with BED lack will-power and/or are undeserving of sympathy. Awareness and understanding of BED may need to be addressed in school-based mental health promotion programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 09638237
- Volume :
- 25
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Mental Health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 112687139
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3109/09638237.2015.1057329