Year of Award

2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Name

Communication Studies

Department or School/College

Department of Communication Studies

Committee Chair

Heather Voorhees

Commitee Members

Daisy Rooks, Christina Yoshimura

Keywords

communication theory of identity, illness identity, recovery identity, food communication, eating disorder recovery

Publisher

University of Montana

Subject Categories

Health Communication | Interpersonal and Small Group Communication

Abstract

Using the Communication Theory of Identity as a framework, the purpose of this thesis was to investigate how the experience of eating disorder recovery (EDR) impacts one’s communication of identity through and about food, and perceptions of others’ communication about and through food. Purposive sampling yielded 20 adult participants who self-identified as having been in EDR for at least one year. Results from a phronetic iterative data analysis of semi-structured interviews yielded several themes. When considering how EDR influences personal communication through food, main themes include: (a) the inability to share meals creates a gap between the enacted and relational identity layers; (b) participants negotiate a personal and relational identity gap via changes in eating behaviors; and (c) sharing meals creates alignment between the enacted and relational identity layers. The main themes in consideration of how EDR influences personal communication about food include: (a) negotiation of a personal and relational identity gap via establishment of boundaries around food; (b) negotiation of a personal and relational identity gap via changes in communication about food; and (c) communicating about food with others in EDR creates alignment of the personal and communal identity layers. Lastly, regarding how EDR influences perceptions of others’ communication about and through food, main themes include: (a) how others communicate about food causes feelings of stigmatization and creates a personal and relational identity gap; and (b) how others change how they communicate about and through food creates alignment between the personal and relational identity layers. Together, these themes explain food’s role in interpersonal communication as it is used to uphold an individual in EDR’s desired identity. They also answer the call for a more person-centered understanding of EDR by identifying how communication about and through food creates identity gaps and alignment, clarifying how individuals in EDR feel they must manage conflicting identities with food and because of food, and providing ways to move forward in combatting and preventing stigma toward eating disorder (EDs) and EDR. Implications include an expanded understanding of recovery identity in an EDR context, a demonstration of persevering stigma toward EDs, and recommendations for social support.

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© Copyright 2023 Rosemary Willett Jeter