ACCOUNTS OF EXPERIENCES OF BULIMIA - A DISCOURSE ANALYTIC STUDY

Objectives: To identify the variety of versions of bulimia constructed by participants, to suggest functions and consequences of these const ructions, and to examine the sociocultural ideologies evident in parti cipants' discourse. Methods: Ten women and one man were interviewed ab out their experiences of bulimia. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using a discourse analytic approach. Results: Five dominant ways of t alking about bulimia were identified: Individuals were constructed as victims of bulimia, women were constructed as victims of social stereo types, bulimia was constructed as a damaging action one performs on on eself, bulimia was constructed as a personality trait of individuals, and bulimia was marginalized as abnormal and disgusting. Discussion: S ociocultural ideologies evident in participants' accounts included the valuing of individual will-power and self-mastery and the constructio n of a mind-body dichotomy entailing the need to control the latter.:T he analysis emphasizes the importance of considering the sociocultural context within which psychological problems occur. (C) 1998 by John W iley & Sons, Inc.