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Eating disorder as mental illness: Popular conceptions
Author(s) -
O'Grady T. J.,
ElSobky A. L.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/1098-108x(198705)6:3<443::aid-eat2260060317>3.0.co;2-0
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , mental illness , psychology , psychiatry , mental health , clinical psychology , obesity , eating disorders , medicine
One hundred and fifty Health Centre attenders completed a questionnaire eliciting their views on which life problems should be regarded as mental illness. Their opinions were compared with those of 20 psychiatrists. The lay sample accurately perceived a symptom of anorexia nervosa as indicating treatable mental illness, whereas a symptom of obesity was not regarded as such. There was no evidence of age, sex, or social class differences in the responses.