What prevents young adults from seeking help? Barriers toward help‐seeking for eating disorder symptomatology

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate help-seeking attitudes, intentions, and behaviors, and to systematically explore perceived barriers to help-seeking for eating, weight, or shape concerns among young adults. Differences in perceived barriers as a function of type of eating disorder symptomatology were also examined. Method: Data were collected using an online survey among individuals (aged 18-25 years) in Australia. Overall, 291 young adults with varying levels of eating disorder symptoms completed measures of disordered eating, weight or shape concerns, helpseeking barriers, attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. According to their self-reported symptoms, participants were classified into four subgroups (i.e., anorexia nervosa [AN] symptoms, bulimia nervosa [BN] symptoms, binge-eating disorder [BED] symptoms, and other eating disorder symptoms).Results: Despite the belief that help-seeking is useful, only a minority of participants with elevated symptoms, namely those with AN, BN, and BED symptoms, believed they needed help. Across the sample, the most frequently cited barriers to seeking help for eating disorder symptoms were: concern for others, self-sufficiency, fear of losing control, denial and failure to perceive the severity of the illness, and stigma and shame.Discussion: The findings highlight the need to educate young adults about the severity of eating disorders and the importance of seeking help, and to increase the awareness of help-seeking barriers among those designing public health interventions as well as clinicians. Our findings suggest that help-seeking barriers may differ depending on the type of eating disorder symptomology.

“I’m not a teenager, I’m 22. Why can’t I snap out of it?”A Qualitative Exploration of Seeking Help for a First-Episode Eating Disorder During Emerging Adulthood

“…This study identi ed several implications of exclusionary ED discourse and resultant shame and embarrassment for help-seeking. Consistent with previous ndings, this study indicated that many emerging adults have a preference for self-su ciency, with many deciding to deal with their di culties alone (15,(24)(25)(26)(27)35). This study identi ed that many emerging adults use self-help resources as a rst port of call.…”

“…A recent quantitative study was conducted in a community sample of Australian emerging adults with subclinical ED symptoms or past / current ED diagnosis or treatment. It identi ed denial and fear of change, stigma and self-su ciency as key barriers to ED help-seeking, providing further evidence that previously identi ed factors are also relevant to this life-stage (35). One qualitative study focused on a community sample of Asian American emerging adults with body image concerns and found that available resources and familial support were important facilitators of help-seeking.…”

Eating Disorders among College Students in France: Characteristics, Help-and Care-Seeking

“…Improving healthcare professionals' knowledge at all levels is clearly key to achieving early diagnosis and intervention, but it is equally important to increase awareness among GPs of the clinical, particularly psychological, indicators of EDs [32]. Ali et al also suggested that help-seeking barriers may differ depending on the type of eating disorder symptomology [33]. The Internet may be useful in seeking help for bulimic EDs.…”

“I’m not a teenager, I’m 22. Why can’t I snap out of it?” A Qualitative Exploration of Seeking Help for a First-Episode Eating Disorder During Emerging Adulthood

“…However, just two studies to our knowledge have explored barriers and facilitators of help-seeking for EDs during EA specifically. A recent quantitative study identified denial and fear of change, stigma and self-sufficiency as key barriers to ED help-seeking amongst Australian emerging adults, providing further evidence that previously identified factors are also this life-stage (35). Qualitative methodologies can complement such quantitative work by facilitating nuanced understandings of the complexity of help-seeking during this life-stage and generating hypotheses which might later be tested quantitatively.…”