Being men with eating disorders: Perspectives of male eating disorder service-users

Robinson, Kate J; Mountford, Victoria; Sperlinger, David

doi:10.1177/1359105312440298

Cited by 73 publications

(151 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…A further implication is that the role of femininity in mens' body dissatisfaction and disordered eating should not be neglected. Masculinity is frequently mentioned in discussions of male body image and eating disorders (Blashill, 2011;Robinson, Mountford, & Sperlinger, 2013), and the results of the present study suggest that similar scrutiny should be directed toward femininity. Comprehensive examination of gender role conformity through examination of norms for both genders may be particu larly important for body image and eating disorders, given evi dence that these conditions are heavily subjected to gender role stereotypes .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Extending the masculinity hypothesis: An investigation of gender role conformity, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating in young heterosexual men.

Griffiths¹,

Murray²,

Touyz³

2015

Psychology of Men & Masculinity

112

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Gender role norms may play a crucial role in the male experience of eating disorders. The masculinity hypothesis proposes that conformity to masculine gender roles including dominance, confidence, sexual success, and physical and emotional self-control places men at risk for muscularity-oriented body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. However, despite some empirical support for this hypothesis, several gaps in the literature remain. The present study was the first to use multidimensional instruments of gender role conformity to investigate whether masculinity and femininity are associated with male body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Participants were 246 young heterosexual men who com pleted an online survey that asked questions about muscle dissatisfaction, body fat dissatisfaction, thinness-and muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Results from 4 simultaneous multiple regressions showed that increased conformity to masculine norms predicted greater muscle dissatisfaction and muscularity-oriented disordered eating, but not body fat dissatisfaction or thinness-oriented disor dered eating. Conformity to feminine norms predicted greater muscle dissatisfaction, thinness-and muscularity-oriented disordered eating. The results provide support for the masculinity hypothesis and extend it to include muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Furthermore, the results suggest that the femininity hypothesis, which proposes that feminine norm endorsement is a risk factor for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in women, may also generalize to men. Clinicians should consider integrating gendered perspectives into treatments for men with eating disorders. Future research into the mechanisms through which gender role conformity influences body image and eating outcomes in males is necessary.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Extending the masculinity hypothesis: An investigation of gender role conformity, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating in young heterosexual men.

Griffiths¹,

Murray²,

Touyz³

2015

Psychology of Men & Masculinity

112

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Males experiencing high levels of body dissatisfaction may be subject to greater stigmatisation, or experience more self-stigma than females with similar levels of body dissatisfaction, as research has demonstrated the presence of stigma and self-stigma among males with eating disorders, [22][23][24][25] and stigma surrounding body dissatisfaction and body image among high school boys. 26 The experience of stigma may contribute to the manifestation of poorer QoL among males than females at comparable levels of body dissatisfaction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex differences in the relationships between body dissatisfaction, quality of life and psychological distress

Griffiths

Hay

Mitchison

et al. 2016

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health

189

117

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Background: Body dissatisfaction is associated with impairment in women's quality of life (QoL). To date, research has not examined the relationship between body dissatisfaction and men's QoL, or sex differences in this relationship. Methods:A community sample of 966 males and 1,031 females living in Australia provided information about their body dissatisfaction, mental health and physical health-related QoL, and eating disorder symptoms. Data were analysed using three hierarchical multiple regressions and interactions between body dissatisfaction and sex were examined.Results: For both sexes, increasing levels of body dissatisfaction were associated with poorer mental and physical health-related QoL and greater psychological distress. The adverse associations between body dissatisfaction and mental health-related QoL, and between body dissatisfaction and psychological distress, were more pronounced for males. Conclusion:High levels of body dissatisfaction may threaten the psychological and physical wellbeing of both men and women. Body dissatisfaction appears to be a public health problem, distinct from the eating disorders and other adverse psychological phenomena for which body dissatisfaction is commonly discussed as a risk factor. Males, historically understudied and underrepresented in body image research, warrant increased empirical attention.

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“…Although evidence on gender differences in prognosis is limited, one recent cohort study found treatment outcomes in all EDs were better for men than women, when remission was measured by weight restoration and self-reported relapsing 21. Some studies suggest that men with EDs are more likely to engage in obsessive exercise15 17 19 22 and have more psychiatric morbidity as a result of an ED 15 19. Homosexuality has also been cited in some studies as a risk factor for men 15 17 23…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of gendered constructions of eating disorders in delayed help-seeking in men: a qualitative interview study

2014

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ObjectivesTo understand how young men recognise eating disorder (ED) symptoms and decide to seek help, and to examine their experiences of initial contacts with primary care.DesignA qualitative interview study.SettingMen from across the UK were interviewed as part of a study of 39 young men's and women's experiences of having an ED.Participants10 men aged 16–25 years with various EDs including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.ResultsThe widespread perception of EDs as uniquely or predominantly a female problem led to an initial failure by young men to recognise their behaviours as symptoms of an ED. Many presented late in their illness trajectory when ED behaviours and symptoms were entrenched, and some felt that opportunities to recognise their illness had been missed because of others’ lack of awareness of EDs in men. In addition, the men discussed the lack of gender-appropriate information and resources for men with EDs as an additional impediment to making sense of their experiences, and some felt that health and other professionals had been slow to recognise their symptoms because they were men.ConclusionsAlthough increasingly common in young men, widespread cultural constructions of EDs as a ‘women's illness’ mean that men may fail to recognise ED symptoms until disordered behaviours become entrenched and less tractable to intervention. Men also report that such perceptions can affect the reactions of their families and friends, as well as health and educational professionals. Primary care professionals are well placed to challenge inappropriate perceptions of EDs.

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Being men with eating disorders: Perspectives of male eating disorder service-users

Cited by 73 publications

References 40 publications

Extending the masculinity hypothesis: An investigation of gender role conformity, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating in young heterosexual men.

Extending the masculinity hypothesis: An investigation of gender role conformity, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating in young heterosexual men.

Sex differences in the relationships between body dissatisfaction, quality of life and psychological distress

The role of gendered constructions of eating disorders in delayed help-seeking in men: a qualitative interview study

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