Bridger Jensen and Dr. Scott Richards, Counseling Psychology

Overview

Eating disorders are approaching epidemic proportions, being purported in more than 5% of adolescent girls and young women, and up to 20% of college women (Lelwica, 1999, p. 3-4). These numbers are shocking and demonstrate the prevalence of eating disorders. In many cases, eating disorders result in death. One of the most severe and life-threatening eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, is “an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a minimally accepted body weight, intense fear of weight gain, and distorted body image” (Dubé, 2004).

Websites known as Pro-Ana are part of an online underground movement that advocates eating disorders as an acceptable lifestyle. Blogs, chat, messages and other writings are posted on these sites to encourage people to continue their eating disorders. Participants share anorexic and bulimic advice, support, and “thinspirational” thoughts with each other in order to promote eating disorders. This controversial movement contradicts psychological and medical understanding that eating disorders are a disease, not a lifestyle.

While religiosity facilitates people on a path toward perfection, many studies have shown it to be associated with eating disorders. One reason for the tendency in women to have feelings of guilt and the need for punishment stems from this striving for perfection. The more consumed women become with their eating disorder, the more it replaces their religious and spiritual practices in a life-threatening, destructive way. An extreme example of this self-destructive pattern is demonstrated through the Pro-Ana movement, which advocates these devastating diseases as an acceptable, even glorious lifestyle choice. Fortunately, a return to healthy spiritual practices provides a solution to save these women from the fatal consequences associated with these disorders.

A Paucity of Research

In 1990 a prominent researcher was surprised by his own outcome study when women who had suffered from bulimia nervosa indicated that faith, pastoral counseling and prayer were the most important factors in their successful recovery. As the authors of this study were not looking for a spiritual correlation, this became a significant discovery. The resulting publication (Mitchell 1990) stated: “Since we had not inquired about this systematically, we were somewhat surprised by the number of these responses.”

Mitchell’s study is not without replication; many similar studies have confirmed a strong correlation between religious values and recovery from eating disorders. In 1992 four researchers (Joughin, Crisp, Halek, Humphrey) published a study designed to discover associations between religious beliefs and anorexia nervosa. They concluded: “Religious conversion seem[s] to serve as a protective function against severe weight loss.” Years after these studies were performed other publications cited similar correlations. Despite these discoveries, research has failed to cite what these “spiritual factors” could be and what role they have played in recovery from eating disorders. In 1997 my mentor published an article which noted “…the influence of religious and spiritual matters in the development, maintenance, and recovery from eating disorders has been largely neglected” (Richards 1997). Psychotherapists have neglected the role of spirituality from the recovery of eating disorders. This biased rejection among social scientists has been the source of great academic debate (Bergin 1981).

Project Outcome

The project was designed to address this neglected topic and explore previously unspecified spiritual factors contributing to recovery from eating disorders. My project places emphasis on the extent to which recovery from an eating disorder relies on these spiritual factors, with special emphasis on victims who are part of the Pro-Ana movement. The goal of this project has been enhanced treatment technique and increased awareness of the relationship between spirituality and eating disorders. My mentor and his predecessors have spent decades developing a platform that suggests psychotherapy and spiritual practice should be part of the recovery process. The resulting article from this project reflects well on their platform. Below is the abstract from the resulting publication.

Academic Outcome

There are several academic journals which will have interest in our research. We have submitted the resulting article into the Journal of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (JTSP). We also anticipate applying to present our findings in conferences with NATSAP (National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs). Poster presentations are also a possibility and will be considered after acceptance for publication.

Project Abstract

Research has demonstrated a strong relationship between eating disorders and spirituality. Spirituality has correlation to both the onset of and the recovery from eating disorders.
However, there is a paucity of research that effectively correlates the prognosis of an eating disorder with spirituality. Pro-ana is the belief that anorexia nervosa is a lifestyle choice, not a disorder. Pro-ana affects the spirituality of its victims by replacing many aspects of religiosity through creeds, covenants and ceremonies. Effective spiritual approaches are discussed as treatment for eating disorders and victims of the Pro-Ana movement.

Sources

• Bergin, A. (1981). Psychotherapy and religious values. Journal of Counseling and Clinical
  Psychology, 48, 1, 95-105.
• Hardman, R. (2003). Spirituality and ten false beliefs and pursuits of women with eating
  disorders; Implications for Counselors. Counseling and Values, 48, 67-78.
• Joughin, N., Crisp, A. H., Halek, C., & Humphrey, H. (1992). Religious belief and anorexia
  nervosa. International. Journal of Eating Disorders, 12, 397-406.
• Maxwell, N. (1976). Some thoughts on the gospel and the behavioral sciences. An address
  delivered at a Brigham Young University symposium. February 26, 1976.
• Mitchell, J. E., Erlander, M., Pyle, R. L., & Fletcher, L.A. (1990). Eating disorders, religious practices and pastoral counseling. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 9, 589-593.
• Richards, S. (1997). Spiritual issues and interventions in the treatment of patients with eating disorders. Eating Disorders, 5, 4, 261-279.