Wall Prudence L, Fassnacht Daniel B, Fabry Esme, O'Shea Anne E, Houlihan Catherine, Mulgrew Kate, Ali Kathina
School of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia.
College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
J Eat Disord. 2024 Sep 2;12(1):126. doi: 10.1186/s40337-024-01086-w.
Stigma is a complex construct and its association with help-seeking among those experiencing eating disorders is not well understood. Rates of help-seeking are low for those with eating disorder symptoms and, therefore, determining the role of stigma and shame in this relationship is needed to help inform effective awareness campaigns aimed at improving prognostic outcomes. The current study examined the associations between perceived stigma, self-stigma, shame, and help-seeking behaviour in a community sample of individuals with elevated eating disorder symptoms.
Participants completed an online survey that included measures of stigma and shame as perceived barriers to help-seeking for individuals with eating disorders. Those with elevated eating disorder symptoms and high clinical impairment were included in the study (N = 333).
Using binary logistic regression models controlling for age and gender, results showed that perceived stigma, self-stigma, and shame predicted 64% of help-seeking behaviour (p = .005). The only significant unique predictor of formal help-seeking was "Being concerned that other people believe eating disorders are not real illnesses". No other stigma or shame items were found to significantly predict help-seeking.
The present findings suggest that while stigma plays an important role in help-seeking, it might not be the primary reason preventing individuals with eating disorders from accessing care. The field is encouraged to investigate these factors to promote help-seeking effectively.
污名是一个复杂的概念，人们对其与饮食失调患者寻求帮助之间的关联尚不完全清楚。有饮食失调症状的人寻求帮助的比例较低，因此，需要确定污名和羞耻感在这种关系中的作用，以帮助开展有效的宣传活动，改善预后结果。本研究调查了在一个饮食失调症状较高的社区样本中，感知污名、自我污名、羞耻感与寻求帮助行为之间的关联。
参与者完成了一项在线调查，其中包括将污名和羞耻感作为饮食失调患者寻求帮助的感知障碍的测量指标。本研究纳入了饮食失调症状较高且临床损伤严重的参与者（N = 333）。
使用控制年龄和性别的二元逻辑回归模型，结果显示，感知污名、自我污名和羞耻感预测了64%的寻求帮助行为（p = .005）。正式寻求帮助的唯一显著独特预测因素是“担心其他人认为饮食失调不是真正的疾病”。未发现其他污名或羞耻感项目能显著预测寻求帮助行为。
目前的研究结果表明，虽然污名在寻求帮助方面起着重要作用，但它可能不是阻止饮食失调患者获得护理的主要原因。鼓励该领域研究这些因素，以有效促进寻求帮助行为。
