contemporary study - becker

Question 1

what was the aim

Answer 1

to investigate the effect of prolonged exposure of TV on attitudes to eating and eating behaviours in Fijian adolescent girls

Question 2

what was the method

Answer 2

• naturalistic experiment, introduction of TV was natural
• muliwave cross sectional design
• 1st sample = 63 girls in 1995
• 2nd sample = 65 girls in 1998

1st sample
- EAT-26 survey, score of 20 indicates concern and had to participate in a semi structured interview
- sepearate questions asked about TV viewing

2nd sample
- extra questions asked on body image, dieting and how they saw their parents views
- qualitative data gathered using open ended questions in semi structured interviews

Question 3

what were the results

Answer 3

• 16.5% with EAT-26 scores above 20
• induced vomiting from 0 to 11.3%
• 77% stated TV influenced their body image
• ‘i want to be like CIndy Crawford’
• ‘i want to be taller and thinner’

Question 4

what were the conclusions

Answer 4

• identifying with a role model on TV changed body image in the preiod of the study
• cultural values about dieting/weight were changed between the girls

Question 5

what were the strengths

Answer 5

+ addition of qualitative data provides essential context for understanding connection
+ informed consent from parents
+ allows insight into development of eating disorders and suggests potential preventive strategies

Question 6

what are the weaknesses

Answer 6

• clinical diagnosis was not used, however high EAT-26 scores and indiced vomiting are sympotoms
• self report data open to social desirability
• might not just be TV exposure but also peer relations, respondants made reference to how peer opinion of what was admierable in TV characters affected them