Name: Gabriela Buckanavage

My topic: (due May 9) What can cause an Eating Disorder?

What I Already Know (due May 9): Write one or two paragraphs to describe your topic and your reasons for choosing it. Why did you become interested in the topic you chose? What personal connection helped you to pick this topic? Describe the situation that led you to decide to research this topic.

 This is a topic people may not know much about. The physical effects are the only thing most people know about.  Although the physical effects are important, the psychological factors that cause it are more important.  I became interested in this topic because a lot of my friends have and are dealing with this and is a topic that is dear to my heart.  Also, family members have had eating disorders as well. 

I chose to focus on the causes of eating disorders because most people think that eating disorders are only about their weight.  This is not true.  Also, eating disorders are very common in adolescence.  This topic is common in magazines and on television. 

Name of person to interview (due May 11): Name the person and the plans you have for conducting the interview in person.

I am going to interview Ms. Jennifer Barba.  She is a therapist and runs the therapy programs at St. Raphael's Child Emergency Services Department.  She is a Social Worker and has over 10 years experience with adolescents in this area.

Interview questions (due May 15): List at least 10 question you will ask your interviewee. They need to be open-ended questions that require thought to answer.

1. What are the different types of eating disorders?

2. Are there personality types that you could describe that have eating disorders?

3. Are eating disorders increasing with the times?

4. Is it challenging to treat someone with an eating disorder?

5. Why are eating disorders more common in women?

6. What do you think the causes are of eating disorders?

7. What is treatment of an eating disorder like?

8. Do medications work for patients?

9. Do you think that people can be cured of an eating disorder?

10. How long does treatment usually take?

Compiling sources (due May 22-25): List the specific sources that you are using for your research. For each, you will describe the information from the source. You will need to answer these questions for each source: Summarize new information you learned. How did the information helpful in adding to your knowledge about the topic? What new questions do you have after reading this source?

Source 1:  http://www.healthyplace.com/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-overview/the-many-causes-of-eating-disorders/

New Information you learned:  This is a website that is very interesting.  I didn't know that 1/3 to 1/2 of people who have eating disorders suffer from depression or anxiety before the eating disorder begins.  Also, one of the triggers seems to be big transitions in life.  I didn't realize that major changes could be a trigger for some people.

New questions you have after reading the source: The article says that sometimes people who have an undiagnosed psychiatric problem develop an eating disorder.  I'd like to learn more about this.

Source 2:   http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA290063595&v=2.1&u=s0143&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w

New Information you learned: The risk of suicide is high in people with an eating disorder.  Also, young people don't seem to have good education about nutrition and how important it is to have. 

I also learned that about 90% of bulimics are female.  I didn't know that.

New questions you have after reading the source: I would like to learn more about what is successful treatment for people with an eating disorder.

Source 3:  http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA287559863&v=2.1&u=s0143&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w

New Information you learned: This article has information from a study at the University of Minnesota.  This article talked about how major life transitions could trigger an eating disorder.  When people move when they are young, change schools, go to college and the death of someone close to you could all be a trigger. 

New questions you have after reading the source: I just wonder how people who have gone through these traumas can survive and not develop and ED.  This article recommends that people try to get as much love and support when they are going through difficult times.

Source 4: 

New Information you learned:  http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA254713336&v=2.1&u=s0143&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w

New Information you learned: This article is from The New York Times.  It talks about how recovery from an ED (eating disorder) is described in different ways.  Some doctors think that 100% recovery is possible. I learned from this article that not everyone agrees with this.  The woman at the beginning of the article is an emergency room doctor who has struggled with anorexia for years.  She says that even though she is physically healthy, she feels that her distorted thinking about food will always be part of her.  This article shows how recovery has a lot of different meanings, and that people in recovery are pretty honest about their unhealthy thinking.

New questions you have after reading the source: What does recovery really mean?  How does someone who has an eating disorder have hope that they will get better if experts don't agree.

Source 5:  http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA296697392&v=2.1&u=s0143&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w

New Information you learned: This article gave simple questions that physicians should ask adolescents if it appears they may have an eating disorder. These questions include topics like exercise, foods that are " off limits " and feeling guilty after eating certain foods. This article also talked about signs and symptoms that occur when some one has an eating disorder. Some of those signs are physical like hair loss ( from lack of nutrition ) headaches, dizziness or fainting. Some of the psychological symptoms include irritability, depression, social withdrawl, and anxiety.

New questions you have after reading the source: Have physicians not been asking questions like these before? Have some even overlooked what could be obvious signs of eating disorders? If these questions are routinely asked to adolescents are they really helpful in fight against eating disorders?

Source 6: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/eating-disorders/DS00294

New Information you learned: This article talked about eating disorders as a whole, symptoms, causes, risk factors and treatment. The new information I learned came from the treatment section. Aside from the traditional route of treatment, that being psychotherapy, medication, hospitalization and nutrition education, this article also talked about other treatmeant options to use in combination with traditional treatment. These alternative treatments include chamomile tea ( to help reduce stress naturally ) , acupuncture, massage, and yoga.

New questions you have after interviewing the source: I would like to know how effect the alternative treatments are. Are they successful only when used in combination with traditional treatment options? Can they ever work on their own ?

Source 7: Interview with Ms. Barba.  Phone

Interview transcript (due May 24): Record the Q & A from your interview.

Click this link to get to the iSearch assignment page