The continuation of non-physical abuse from childhood to adulthood in eating disorder patients: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

CONCLUSIONS: The participants' accounts indicate that childhood non-physical abuse is related to eating disorder onset, and abuse continuation in adulthood contributes to the disorder's maintenance. Moreover, the lifelong consequences of non-physical childhood abuse impact psychological factors, such as self-esteem, attachment and emotion regulation, affecting the individuals' adult lives and keeping participants inside a vicious cycle of trauma re-enactment. Low self-esteem is considered by the participants as the key factor for their disturbed relationship with food.PMID:38295605 | DOI:10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106661

Source: Child Abuse and Neglect - January 31, 2024 Category: Child Development Authors: Olga Theodoropoulou Lynda Holyoak Noreen Caswell Kathryn Jane Gardner Source Type: research