FEMINIST EXPLANATIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF EATING DISORDERS - COMMONTHEMES, RESEARCH FINDINGS, AND METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES

Feminist approacher have recently been offered as etiological explanat ions for the development and maintenance of anorexia nervosa and bulim ia nervosa. Specific hypotheses and postulates have varied across diff erent theorists. An overview of the rationale for each of four identif ied theoretical explanations is provided, along with a discussion of e mpirical support and research issues. We conclude that feminist approa ches offer the possibility of substantially adding to our knowledge of etiological factors for the development of eating disorders. We sugge st that the area would benefit from the development of pertinent measu rement indices and the utilization of longitudinal designs incorporati ng variables deemed important by feminist writers, but also including factors supported by other etiological frameworks, such as family syst ems, developmental, and cognitive-behavioral approaches.