Attitudes towards anorexia nervosa: the impact of framing on blame and stigma.
OBJECTIVE
We examined experimentally the way in which exposure to a sociocultural versus a biological/genetic explanation of the etiology of anorexia nervosa (AN) differentially affected attitudes towards AN.


METHODS
Undergraduate nursing students were randomly assigned to read information emphasizing either biological/genetic or sociocultural factors in the development of AN. They then completed a series of questionnaires assessing their attitudes towards individuals with AN. Nonparametric tests were used to evaluate attitudinal differences between groups.


RESULTS
Those who were exposed to a biological/genetic explanation of the causes of AN tended to blame individuals with AN less than those exposed to a sociocultural explanation, although all results were not robust to correction for multiple comparisons.


CONCLUSIONS
If these results are replicated in larger, population-based samples, wider dissemination of information regarding the biological and genetic underpinnings of AN should be considered as a possible pathway in decreasing the blame-based stigma associated with AN.
Crisafulli
Michele A
MA
Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Von Holle
Ann
A
Bulik
Cynthia M
CM
D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008297:Male; D013240:Stereotyping; D013338:Students, Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires