Keywords

eating disorders, mindfulness, adolescent, female, relaxation, acupuncture, mirror exposure, breathing techniques

Abstract

Purpose: The portrayal of women in the mass media is increasingly sexualized. An accumulation of negative media exposure can cause adolescent girls to fall prey to self-objectification. Repeated experiences of self-objectification can result in body shame, which consequently may lead to dietary restraint and binge eating to achieve the idealized thin body. The goals of a mindfulness intervention are to change how one feels in response to external cues and to develop healthier coping skills. The purpose of this literature review is to compare and contrast recent studies on mindfulness measures aimed at preventing or treating disordered eating behaviors in adolescent and young adult females.

Method: An electronic search was performed on MEDLINE, CINAHL, psycINFO, and Alt Health to identify English-language studies from 2006 to 2016. 16 articles (seven randomized controlled trials and nine quasi-experimental design studies) met inclusion criteria and were reviewed.

Findings: A variety of mindfulness interventions showed promising results in decreasing eating disorder symptomology, including mirror exposure, acceptance practices, yoga, mindfulness-based educational programs, acupuncture, and mealtime mindfulness.

Conclusions: Mindfulness interventions show promising efficacy in reducing eating disorder symptomology. Nursing implications and recommendations for further research are discussed.

Description

The College of Nursing showcases some of our best evidence based scholarly papers from graduate students in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program. The papers address relevant clinical problems for advance practice nurses and are based on the best evidence available. Using a systematic approach students critically analyze and synthesize the research studies to determine the strength of the evidence regarding the clinical problem. Based on the findings, recommendations are made for clinical practice. The papers are published in professional journals and presented at professional meetings.

Document Type

Class Project or Paper

Publication Date

2017-04-05

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/3758

Language

English

College

Nursing

University Standing at Time of Publication

Graduate Student

Course

NURS 698R

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