title: Self-stigma of seeking treatment and being male predict an increased likelihood of having an undiagnosed eating disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether self-stigma of seeking psychological help and being male would be associated with an increased likelihood of having an undiagnosed eating disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multi-national sample of 360 individuals with diagnosed eating disorders and 125 individuals with undiagnosed eating disorders were recruited. Logistic regression was used to identify variables affecting the likelihood of having an undiagnosed eating disorder, including sex, self-stigma of seeking psychological help, and perceived stigma of having a mental illness, controlling for a broad range of covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Being male and reporting greater self-stigma of seeking psychological help was independently associated with an increased likelihood of being undiagnosed. Further, the association between self-stigma of seeking psychological help and increased likelihood of being undiagnosed was significantly stronger for males than for females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perceived stigma associated with help-seeking may be a salient barrier to treatment for eating disorders-particularly among male sufferers.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.|Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mond
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Zhicheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Sanduni
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gunatilake
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Stuart B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Jeanie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sheffield
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Touyz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D057545:Social Stigma; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013240:Stereotyping; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology
keywords: eating disorders; males; self-stigma of seeking help; undiagnosed