The continuation of non-physical abuse from childhood to adulthood in eating disorder patients: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Abstract

Background: The ED literature has focused on the physical forms of childhood abuse with respect to eating disorders, overlooking non-physical abuse even though eating disorder patients report the latter either as primary experiences or as a revival of their childhood experiences. Additionally, there is no literature exploring whether adult eating disorder patients who have experienced childhood non-physical abuse continue to experience abuse as adults, and if they do, how well-being is impacted or linked with eating pathology.

Objective: This study explored the lived experiences of eating disorders patients who have experienced non-physical childhood abuse in childhood and adulthood.

Participants and settings: Six adult female eating disorder outpatients each took part in a semi-structured interview.

Methods: This study used the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis framework.

Results: Three master themes and eleven superordinate themes were drawn from the analysis, addressing the research question: continuation of non-physical abuse across a lifetime, developmental factors and non-physical abuse, and non-physical abuse and eating pathology.

Conclusions: The participants' accounts indicate that childhood non-physical abuse is related to eating disorder onset, and abuse continuation in adulthood contributes to the disorder's maintenance. Moreover, the lifelong consequences of non-physical childhood abuse impact psychological factors, such as self-esteem, attachment and emotion regulation, affecting the individuals' adult lives and keeping participants inside a vicious cycle of trauma re-enactment. Low self-esteem is considered by the participants as the key factor for their disturbed relationship with food.

Keywords: Attachment; Eating disorders; Non-physical abuse; Self-esteem.