Year of Award

2009

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Other Degree Name/Area of Focus

General Psychology, Quantitative Emphasis

Department or School/College

Department of Psychology

Committee Chair

Christine Fiore

Commitee Members

Bryan Cochran, Dan Denis, Kathy Humphries, Cheryl VanDenburg

Keywords

College Women, Treatment Barriers, Antifat Attitudes (AFA), Disordered Eating, Urban or Rural

Abstract

Disordered eating (DE) is associated with physical and emotional consequences. Most incidence studies comparing rates in urban and rural regions are international. Only one examined regional differences within the United States, and no significant differences emerged. Additionally, no investigations focus on DE treatment barriers specific to rural regions. In 106 college women with significant DE patterns, this study investigated weight-based prejudices, system-level barriers, and regional status. Despite no significant regional differences in DE or barriers to treatment, results revealed high prevalence of DE and exposed barriers to DE-treatment among college women. Exploratory analyses supplement the dearth of research focusing on DE in rural regions, which may help professionals tailor DE-related services to rural college cultures.

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© Copyright 2009 Alison Christine Pepper