Ann M. Thomas and Laura E. Gabel

Presentation Title: Pro-Eating Disorder Websites—Adding Fuel to the Fire

Presentation Abstract: Pro- Ana (pro-anorexia) and Pro- Mia (pro- bulimia) websites are a prevalent problem in today’s culture. Health professionals would generally agree that these websites have a negative effect on clients and others who view them; however, psychological literature has not yet delineated the factors that make them so dangerous. One argument of this paper explains the catalyzing effects of the websites and the resulting changes in progression and severity of the disorders, using a clinical paradigm known as the Health Beliefs Model. Traditional treatment for these disorders may neglect to examine the effects of these websites and alter treatment as warranted; thus this paper argues that psychologists must explore treatment complications that arise because of pro-eating disorder websites. The authors assert that prevention of eating disorders by promotion of healthy lifestyles is essential in order to combat the negative “top down discourse” from the media and the pro-eating disorder websites that inundate Western culture. Promotion of healthy lifestyles will influence prevention efforts for all age groups and has particular relevance on college campuses, where students are often making their own lifestyle choices for the first time. In addition, high treatment recidivism rates also call for an examination of a prevention model, which engages pro-eating disorder discourse in a creative and productive way.

Biographies: Ann Thomas and Laura Gabel are 3rd year clinical psychology doctoral students at Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. Ann’s clinical experience has included forensic, inpatient, and community mental healthy settings and her interests include adult psychology and complex trauma. Laura’s clinical experience has included mental health, resident treatment facilities, and prison populations and her interests are in adolescent and forensic psychology.