title: 100 midlife women with eating disorders: a phenomenological analysis of etiology.
abstract: This study analyzed eating disorder (ED) etiological factors for 100 midlife women ED inpatients, grouped by ED onset age: < 40 and > or = 40 years. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis classified ED etiological influences into background contributors, immediate triggers, or sustainers. Family-of-origin issues, predominantly parental maltreatment, emerged as important background contributors, but not immediate ED triggers, regardless of onset age. Body image issues were also major background contributors regardless of onset age and further served as immediate ED triggers for many of the younger-onset patients, but not the older-onset patients. Family-of-choice and health issues were unimportant for younger-onset patients but were important ED contributors and triggers for older-onset patients. Emergent etiological differences suggest differential assessment and treatment needs for midlife ED patients based on ED onset age.
authors.affiliation: Remuda Ranch Treatment Centers, Performance Management, One East Apache St., Wickenburg, AZ 85390, USA. zina.kally@remudaranch.com
authors.forename: Zina
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kally
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Cumella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001828:Body Image; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005192:Family Health; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*