Pamela S. Chally

Struggling with Recovery: Participant Perspectives on Battling an Eating Disorder

Recovery from an eating disorder encompasses a complex matrix of mental, physical, and social factors. Although methodological differences affect rates of reported recovery (from 24 to 76%), many women are not experiencing full recoveries from eating disorders. This trend is apparent in persons who discontinue severely destructive behaviors but continue to exhibit psychiatric problems and impairment in social and occupational roles. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to provide an explanatory schema about recovery. Data collection included 17 interviews, a focus group, and participant observation. Findings included repeating wavelike patterns of disease and recovery that seldom returned to a state of normal eating but, instead, remained at a level of atypical eating.

Relationship Between Body Image and Body Mass Index in College Men

Objective and Participants: The authors examined cognitive and affective dimensions of body image of a randomized sample of 188 college men on the basis of body mass index (BMI). Methods: They conducted chi-square tests and ANOVAs to determine differences between 4 BMI groups (underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese) on demographics and body image measures. Results: The authors found significant differences in regard to total body image (p < .001), weight or shape concern (p < .001), and body dissatisfaction (p < .001). BMI was significantly correlated with negative body image. Overweight and obese participants reported significantly higher levels of negative body image than did normal- and underweight participants. Overweight participants reported significantly higher weight and shape concerns than did underweight, normal-weight, and obese participants. In regard to body dissatisfaction, underweight, overweight, and obese participants reported significantly higher levels of body dissatisfaction than that reported by normal-weight participants. Conclusions: BMI may be an important factor in identifying potential body image disorders in college-aged men.

Empowerment Through Teaching

Empowerment through teaching is built on the feminist belief that successful and effective teaching is a cointentional process, emerging from meaningful connections between students and faculty. Empowerment results from teaching characterized by caring, commitment, creativity, interaction, and a recognition of the humanity of both teacher and students. Teaching is conceptualized as a directional process emerging from the energy of both student and teacher. There must be continued, intense, and frequent exchange of these energies. The tools that students and teacher must possess or acquire for empowerment include positive self-concept, creativity, resources, information, and support. This perspective permits a new understanding of teaching that results in empowerment of both parties involved in the process of learning.

Research utilization by undergraduate students.

In our experience as nurse educators, baccalaureate students, after completing an introductory research course, are not prepared to critique research studies skillfully and determine their potential use in professional practice. Also, staff nurses need help determining the appropriateness of implementing research findings into clinical practice. To remedy this situation, a research utilization component was successfully incorporated into a senior-level clinical course. This approach has implications for improving patient outcomes.

Relationship between spiritual well-being and binge eating in college females.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of spiritual well-being in college female non-binge, objective binge and binge-trait eaters. Therefore, this study aimed to measure spiritual well-being in non-binge, objective binge and partial/full-syndrome binge eating disorder college females. Survey research was conducted using a randomized sample of 809 female students. The sample was categorized into three binge eating categories: nonbinge, objective binge, and binge eating trait. Chi-Squares and Analysis of Variance determined binge eating group differences on demographics, global spiritual well-being, religious well-being, and existential well-being. Significant differences were found among groups for global spiritual well-being (p≤0.000), religious well-being (p<0.000), and existential well-being (p≤0.000). Higher levels of binge eating severity were associated with lower global spiritual and existential well-being scores. On measures of religious well-being, significant differences existed between the non-binge and the binge eating trait groups. The results suggest that spiritual well-being and especially existential well-being may be indirectly associated with the severity of binge eating.