Post 8

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Busath, professor at Northern Arizona University. His research regarded sexual harassment and its link to eating disorders. I asked a handful of questions and got a good amount of answers about how he conducted his reason. I feel more confident in undergraduate research myself now.

Here were some of my questions and their answers (I don't remember all of them as it was more of a conversation): 

1. How did you get into researching sexual harassment and eating disorders? Answer: It started when I was single and dating. I was talking to a girl about her experiences in the work force and all went from there. 

2. What really is your research about? Answer: If there is a correlation between sexual assault and eating disorders.

3. How did you go about this research? Answer: I asked the psychology 101 class, females only, and had them answer questions.

4. What kinds of questions? Answer: there were 5 questionnaires including eating attitudes, cyber sexual harassment, sexual harassment, attachment and body image (?).

Examples of the eating attitudes questions include: I am terrified about being overweight: Always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never.

I vomit after I have eaten: Always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never.

I display self-control around food: Always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never.

Here is a link: http://www.eat-26.com

5. What did you find? Answer: I found that there is a 0.24 (this is high in psychology) correlation between being sexually harassed and developing an eating disorder.

6. Would you agree that eating disorders should be treated as trauma? Answer: Yes sexual harassment is often a traumatic event as well. 

Basically, I had the opportunity to review Dr. Busath's research, get to know it a bit, and understand a bit about how questioning works. 

Dr. Busath's research shows that eating disorders really are often about a 3rd variable, not necessarily only body image. This is likely why so many of the doctors I talked to treated eating disorders as trauma so that they can get to the core of the issue. Treating the cause not the symptoms. 

Ultimately I'm still stuck on the idea that if someone isn't ready to receive treatment or admit they have a problem, they still won't regardless of how good the treatment is.