Eating online: Professionals' perceptions of links among eating disorders and online behavior
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| Year of publication | 2016 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | Introduction: Digital technologies and our behavior in the space they mediate may greatly impact the amount of intimacy we preserve for ourselves. Some specific groups, among them young people with eating disorders, may be particularly susceptible to these influences. Though, relatively little is known about perceptions of the influence that modern technologies may have on the development and course of eating disorders among professionals who work with these groups. Goal: Our aim was to examine relationships that professionals working with people who have eating disorders perceive between modern technologies, online behavior, and development and maintaining of eating disorders. Method: Semi-structured Interviews with 30 professionals working in different fields and specializations were conducted. The interviews were analyzed via thematic analysis. Results: Only a relatively small share of professionals found themselves to have any hard data on the use of modern technologies by their clients and the influence that modern technologies have on them. The influences that modern technologies may have on people with eating disorders were, according to the professionals, mainly mediated by motivations of their clients in maintaining healthy lifestyle or delving deeper into the illness. Conclusions: Online behavior and interaction with modern technologies in people with eating disorders should be further examined, as professionals working with this group have relatively little knowledge regarding influences that modern technologies may have. Still, they perceive their influence important. |
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