Subjective catalyst influencing bulimics to seek treatment

Abstract

This study explores the subjective catalyst influencing bulimic women to seek psychological treatment, as measured by the Subjective Factors Influencing Bulimics to Seek Treatment self report inventory. The factors addressed in the inventory designed specifically for this study were divided into five categories: Environmental, Thoughts and Behaviors, Emotional, Physical, and Spiritual. Both clinically diagnosed and self diagnosed female subjects participated in this study. The subjects voluntarily completed the anonymous self report inventory designed in a four point Likert format. Additional space was provided to write in any influencing factors on treatment seeking that were not included in the questionnaire. The data was collected, statistically analyzed, and summarized. Results were yielded through means, standard deviations and T-tests. Findings indicated that factors in the Emotional category had the greatest influence on bulimic participants to seek psychological help. The specific questionnaire item that was rated as having the strongest influence was "Hate your body".