Abstract
Objective: Eating disorders are commonly believed to affect Caucasian women more so than other women. The authors examined whether participants recognize disturbed eating symptoms to a lesser degree in an African American or Hispanic female compared with a Caucasian female. Method: A sample of 160 undergraduate students of different ethnic backgrounds read a passage about an adolescent girl who displayed eating disorder symptoms. Participants received one of three passages; the passages differed only regarding the girl's race (African American, Caucasian, or Hispanic). Participants completed questionnaires used to reveal possible racial stereotypes about eating disorders. Results: The study found that the race of the adolescent girl had a significant impact on detection of disturbed eating patterns, such that participants recognized the eating disorder more when they read about a Caucasian girl than when they read about a minority girl (Hispanic or African American). Discussion: The results have implications for public awareness of eating disorders, as well as clinical implications for work with eating disorder patients from various ethnic backgrounds.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 219-224 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | International Journal of Eating Disorders |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2002 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Eating disorder recognition
- Ethnic minorities
- Racial stereotypes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Food Science
- Psychology(all)
- Clinical Psychology
Cite this
The impact of racial stereotypes on eating disorder recognition. / Gordon, Kathryn H.; Perez La Mar, Marisol; Joiner, Thomas E.
In: International Journal of Eating Disorders, Vol. 32, No. 2, 2002, p. 219-224.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of racial stereotypes on eating disorder recognition
AU - Gordon, Kathryn H.
AU - Perez La Mar, Marisol
AU - Joiner, Thomas E.
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - Objective: Eating disorders are commonly believed to affect Caucasian women more so than other women. The authors examined whether participants recognize disturbed eating symptoms to a lesser degree in an African American or Hispanic female compared with a Caucasian female. Method: A sample of 160 undergraduate students of different ethnic backgrounds read a passage about an adolescent girl who displayed eating disorder symptoms. Participants received one of three passages; the passages differed only regarding the girl's race (African American, Caucasian, or Hispanic). Participants completed questionnaires used to reveal possible racial stereotypes about eating disorders. Results: The study found that the race of the adolescent girl had a significant impact on detection of disturbed eating patterns, such that participants recognized the eating disorder more when they read about a Caucasian girl than when they read about a minority girl (Hispanic or African American). Discussion: The results have implications for public awareness of eating disorders, as well as clinical implications for work with eating disorder patients from various ethnic backgrounds.
AB - Objective: Eating disorders are commonly believed to affect Caucasian women more so than other women. The authors examined whether participants recognize disturbed eating symptoms to a lesser degree in an African American or Hispanic female compared with a Caucasian female. Method: A sample of 160 undergraduate students of different ethnic backgrounds read a passage about an adolescent girl who displayed eating disorder symptoms. Participants received one of three passages; the passages differed only regarding the girl's race (African American, Caucasian, or Hispanic). Participants completed questionnaires used to reveal possible racial stereotypes about eating disorders. Results: The study found that the race of the adolescent girl had a significant impact on detection of disturbed eating patterns, such that participants recognized the eating disorder more when they read about a Caucasian girl than when they read about a minority girl (Hispanic or African American). Discussion: The results have implications for public awareness of eating disorders, as well as clinical implications for work with eating disorder patients from various ethnic backgrounds.
KW - Eating disorder recognition
KW - Ethnic minorities
KW - Racial stereotypes
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036322649&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0036322649&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/eat.10070
DO - 10.1002/eat.10070
M3 - Article
C2 - 12210665
AN - SCOPUS:0036322649
VL - 32
SP - 219
EP - 224
JO - International Journal of Eating Disorders
JF - International Journal of Eating Disorders
SN - 0276-3478
IS - 2
ER -