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Aetiology of anorexia nervosa in Hong Kong: a social work qualitative inquiry
Author(s) -
Chan Zenobia C. Y.,
Ma Joyce L. C.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
child and family social work
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.912
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-2206
pISSN - 1356-7500
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2206.2004.00307.x
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , etiology , daughter , psychology , qualitative research , beauty , psychotherapist , anorexia , social work , psychiatry , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , eating disorders , medicine , social science , sociology , philosophy , epistemology , evolutionary biology , economics , biology , economic growth
This paper reports the results of a qualitative inquiry into the aetiology of anorexia nervosa in Hong Kong. These results are part of our main research project about family treatment and families with a daughter suffering from anorexia nervosa. This present qualitative study adopts a multiple case study approach ( n = 8) and employs a multiple‐source data collection method, involving pre‐ and post‐family treatment interviews, clinical observations of the participants during the treatment sessions and home visits, as well as detailed field notes. The findings indicate that there are biological, psychological, socio‐cultural and familial interpretations of the aetiology of anorexia nervosa. This study challenges the dominant discourse on anorexia nervosa in Hong Kong, which states that the root of the disease lies in a desire for slenderness and beauty, and suggests instead that the aetiology of anorexia nervosa can be discovered only if approached from the systems level. Implications for social work practice are highlighted.