Self -understanding and depression among anorexic and non -anorexic adolescent girls: A self-in-relation approach.
Item
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Title
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Self -understanding and depression among anorexic and non -anorexic adolescent girls: A self-in-relation approach.
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Identifier
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AAI3083663
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identifier
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3083663
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Creator
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Gallelli, Kim A.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Tracey A. Revenson
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Date
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2003
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Developmental | Women's Studies
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Abstract
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Using an integrative model that bridged developmental and self-in-relation theories, this study examined how self-understanding in girls with anorexia nervosa was distinctive from girls without anorexia nervosa. Forty-seven adolescent girls, ranging in age from 13--21 years, with a DSM-IV diagnosis of anorexia nervosa were compared to twenty-five girls without a diagnosed eating disorder.;All participants completed the following measures: the eating disorder and major depressive disorder modules of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC-IV-R); Eating Attitudes Test (EAT); Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); a modified version of Damon and Hart's Self-Understanding Interview (SUI); and Higgins' Selves Questionnaire. The narratives from the self-understanding interview were coded using Damon and Hart's (1988) coding scheme, which was expanded for this study to include the relational context, as well as constructiveness (positive or negative statements) of the girls' self-statements. In addition, three representative narratives were analyzed a second time using Brown and Gilligan's Reader's Guide (1992).;Analyses of variance compared three groups on all measures: girls with anorexia nervosa and co-morbid depression (AN-ND group, n = 26); girls with anorexia nervosa without co-morbid depression (AN-ND group, n = 21), and girls without anorexia nervosa or major depressive disorder (NAN group, n = 25). The AN-D group had significantly higher discrepancy scores between their actual-ideal selves, and actual-ought selves than either AN-ND or NAN girls.;Differences were found between anorexic and non-anorexic girls in type and developmental level of self schemas they utilized. The data indicated that the anorexic girls were more self focused than relationally focused, made significantly more negative self-statements, and had less developmentally advanced self conceptions. However, the analysis of a select set of narratives using self-in-relation theory contradicted these findings, as anorexic girls were extremely relational, with their self-image shaped by perceptions of what others thought of them. Furthermore, there were distinctions in self-understanding between anorexic girls with and without clinical depression: Depressed girls had more negative self-conceptions. This dissertation demonstrates that not only are there important differences in self understanding between anorexic and non-anorexic adolescents, but also that the particular theoretical and methodological approach influences the interpretation of data.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
