The Influence of the Media on Teenage Anorexia

The Influence of the Media on Teenage Anorexia

Acknowledgements

Firstly I would like to thank the Lord my God for His love and guidance in everything that I do including writing this dissertation. I would like to thank my family and friends for supporting me through the last three years of hard work.

I want to thank my Dad who has always drummed it into my head since I was a little girl, that I can achieve anything that I put my mind on as long as I am a book worm. Thank you Dad for your wise words. I also want to thank my mum for encouraging me to keep going and take each day as it comes when the tough got going. Though I sometimes felt like giving up writing this dissertation, you always managed to make me see through the hard work and anticipate the fruits of my labour.

A big thank you to my siblings, Maryline, Melody, Tsitsi and Nyasha. I know you look up to me to be exemplary to you guys in all that I achieve. That alone spurred me on to give this dissertation my best shot.

Thank you to my friends for helping me unwind during my timeout from this work.

I would also like to extend my great appreciation to my mentor and supervisor, Jan Clarke, for helping me when I was at my wits end.

Finally, I would like to say to everyone who has helped and has been there for me- I hope I did you proud.

Contents

Chapter 1.0 Introduction

1.0 Introduction…………………………………………………………..9

1.1 Rationale……………………………………………………………10

1.2 Objective of Dissertation……………………………………………11

1.3 Definition of Terms………………………………………………….13

1.3.1 Anorexia Nervosa……………….................................13

1.3.2 Teenagers/ Adolescents……………………………….13

1.3.3 The Media…………………………………………….14

1.3.4 Thin-Ideal Media……………………………………..14

1.3.5 Influence…………………………………………….. 15

Chapter 2.0 Methodology

2.1 Introduction………………………………………………………….17

2.2 What is Literature Review?................................................................17

2.3 Literature Search Strategy…………………………………………..18

2.3.1 Electronic Search………………………………………….18

2.3.2 Hand search strategy………………………………………19

2.3.3 Search Strategy Design……………………………………19

2.4 Study Selection Criteria……………………………………………..20

2.5 Study Design………………………………………………………..21

2.6 Sample ……………………………………………………………..22

2.7 Publications…………………………………………………………22

2.8 Methodogical Problems and issues ………………………………..23

Chapter 3.0 A Review of the theories of the cause of

Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa

3.1 Introduction……………………………………………………….25

3.2 What are Eating Disorders?............................................................25