8-1 Discussion: Concerns Specific to Adolescence
There are a variety of factors that can contribute to the development of a disorder in teens especially in
terms of eating disorders like bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating. “Explaining the gradual degenerative
process of developing an eating disorder requires acknowledging the contribution of all three domains—
biological, sociocultural, and psychological” (Mash, E.J., Wolfe, D.A., 2018). The development of eating
disorders is influenced by both biology and the environment.
A biological predisposition to emotionally react negatively to stress may be inherited. One may engage
in disordered eating to cope with this stress. It's possible that controlling what enters (or leaves) one's
body helps one deal with emotions of helplessness in other aspects of life. Serotonin has been linked to
the emergence of abnormal eating patterns, according to studies. Because serotonin regulates and
controls appetite and hunger, a serotonin level decrease can cause continuous hunger which can
unfortunately lead to binge eating (Mash, E.J., Wolfe, D.A., 2018).
It is easy to recognize how current society can influence the development of eating disorders. The
culture in the United States seems to glorify thin, tall bodies with subtly feminine curves. Being
overweight and/or short with voluptuous curves may cause issues with lowered self-confidence, etc.
since we are surrounded by this image of what beauty is considered to be in magazines and on
television. Luckily, it appears that body positivity initiatives are growing and that there has been a
decline over the past thirty years on college campuses in “eating disorder symptoms, dieting, and body
dissatisfaction” (Mash, E.J., Wolfe, D.A., 2018).
Outpatient therapy for individuals or families is the most popular and common form of treatment for
eating disorders. There is only a small percentage of teenagers and young adults that require
hospitalization for treatment, according to our text. A team of professionals, including an internist, a
dietitian, a psychotherapist, and a psychopharmacologist, should ideally design the treatment plan
(Mash, E.J., Wolfe, D.A., 2018).
Reference
Mash, E. J., Wolfe, D. A. (2018). Abnormal Child Psychology, 7th Edition.
