Theoretical and Methodological Considerations for Research on Eating Disorders and Gender
Open accessAbstract
Gender is a relevant factor in the etiology of eating disorders (ED) as evidenced by gender-specific components of disordered eating and by the high risk of ED among transgender individuals, in addition to other factors. However, research on connections between ED and gender identity are limited. Researchers who produce explanatory models, content themselves with faulting the sociocultural ideal of slimness for women, but they fail to grasp the connection between culture, gender and the body and they fall short of integrating this perspective into existing psychological knowledge about ED. Psychological research informed by feminist theory has begun to bridge this gap, but this growing area of research needs to be further developed and should include an understanding of ED in persons with all gender identities. This article expands the discussion of gender and ED, by grounding ED in an understanding of gender itself and by discussing methodological implications of this understanding.
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From Body Perceptions and Psychological Well-Being: A Review of the Impact of Social Media and Physical Measurements on Self-Esteem and Mental Health with a Focus on Body Image Satisfaction and Its Relationship with Cultural and Gender Factors (2024) · cites this paper as [202]
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- Authors
- Springmann, M.-L., Svaldi, J., & Kiegelmann, M.
- Affiliations
- Karlsruhe University of Education (DE)
- University of Tübingen (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Springmann, Marie-Luise
- Venue
- Frontiers in Psychology
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2020-11-17
- Volume
- 11
- Pages
- 586196-586196
- ISSN
- 1664-1078 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7705215
- OpenAlex
- W3102762803
- Cited by
- 23
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 1.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Frontiers in Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Hans Böckler Stiftung
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Keywords
- eating disorders, gender identity, transgender people, feminist theory, body image, gender and culture, disordered eating, research methodology
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