Articulate a position on eating disorders in adolescent girls from diverse racial and cultural experiences
Eating disorders are a serious matter. An eating disorder is any range of psychological disorders characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, to name a few. (Mysko 2018) With new studies and research, Eating Disorders have become treatable, however there seems to be an increase in adolescents’ girls from Hispanic backgrounds verses adolescents from the African American backgrounds. “Historically, eating disorders have been alleged as illnesses that affect only women of the Caucasian race.” In terms of self-esteem, body imaging, and overall weight gain Hispanic women are shown to have concerns greater than other races. “Being that Hispanic women struggle with cultural expectations, being that bigger in terms of weight is celebrated.”
This conflicts with other races that view thinner bodies as ideal. Hispanic women also face issues in seeking treatment. For example, high-end cost, dishonor, and disgrace in seeking psychological help from family members. Whereas for example, African American women, in terms of self-esteem, body imagining, and overall weight is extremely high. African American women however compared to other races have a harder time practicing weight control and carry higher risk of being overweight and having obesity. There is also the similarity in the races with disgrace and shame from family members when seeking psychological help.
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Explain how the position is related to the biological and/or physiological development as well as psychological development of adolescent girls.
Eating disorders can develop and range from issues psychological, biological, social factors. “Eating disorders can be linked to mental illness and sadly it affects everyone, regardless of ethnicity, class, gender, race, or sexual orientation.” Biological processes drive many aspects of growth and development in Hispanic adolescent girls. Puberty is a key essential in changes in young woman.
Once Hispanic girls reach puberty, she is often given a caretaker role of responsibilities at a young age verses males. Psychological Hispanic girls develop in a higher rate of maturity than their male counterparts, which can convey why Hispanic girls have a higher concern for the body imaging and self-esteem once outside of adolescent as stated above. Hispanic girls can also be limited in Social interaction when compared to male siblings who may be given more freedom and less responsibilities. In turn, this display of responsibilities can psychological create development in Hispanic girls that women are always to be in the caretaker role and not take care of just themselves.
Explain how such findings can inform evidence-based social work practice.
“Social workers increasingly are seeking information about evidence-based practices. Numerous resources are emerging to help connect research to practice and provide information that can be helpful to practitioners. Since the identification of evidence-based practices involves assessing the available body of practice-relevant research, having a robust social work research base is important”.
Overall, the purpose of taking an approach towards evidence based Social Work practice, continually looks for new studies or research to re-evaluate Social Work Practice. Therefore, the more research giving to improve Eating Disorders and the treatments used can help Social Workers give the proper assessments and intervention services for adolescent girls. Evidence Based Practice also syndicates client experience, ethics, and culture for individual services.
References
- Aviña, V., & Day, S. X. (2016). Eating disorders: Explanatory variables in Caucasian and Hispanic college women. Journal of College Counseling, 19(1), 31–44. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1002/jocc.1202
- Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
- Mysko, C., MA. (2018). Contact the NEDA Helpline for support, resources and treatment options. Retrieved June 30, 2019, from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
- Social Workers, N. A. (2018). News. Retrieved June 30, 2019, from https://www.socialworkers.org/news/research-data/social-work-policy-research/evidence-based-practice
