THE IDENTIFYING EATING DISORDERS IN ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

This article attempts to identify eating disorders of adolescents. Theoretical and methodological analysis of the study shows that the occurrence of eating disorders is due to attempts to compensate for the lack of unmet needs. Also in this article considered the severity of loneliness manifestation does not depend on the number of interpersonal relationships, the fundamental here is a subjective perception of human interaction with others, and not an “objective” assessment of this criterion from the outside.
 The authors reviewed the studies of Russian and foreign scientists on the causality of eating disorders occurrence. The empirical part of the study was conducted using the questionnaire “Eating Behavior Assessment Scale” (Garner, D.M., Olmstead, M.P., Polivy, J.P.) and the methods of “Subjective feeling of loneliness” (Russell, D. and Ferguson, M.). The study involved 60 subjects, descriptive statistics were used to interpret the results. Our assumption that food can be a solution to the problems of the subjective feeling of loneliness in schoolchildren has been partially confirmed. The results on the scales with a high value of “eating disorders” and “subjective feeling of loneliness” are linked.
 Objective. To identify at eating disorders with subjective feelings of loneliness among adolescent. The hypothesis of the study is based on the assumption that food can become a means of solving the subjective feeling of loneliness, the higher the level of the subjective feeling of loneliness, the more often eating disorders may occur.
 Method and methodology. The research is based on the phenomenological method, as well as the principles of determinism and causality of mental activity.
 Results. We covered 60 schoolchildren living in Yakutsk city in the empirical part of the study. The hypothesis of this study that food can be a means of solving the problems for adolescents with a high level of subjective feeling of loneliness is partially confirmed as a result of the research work carried out. Based on the results of an empirical study, the conclusion was made that the occurrence of eating disorders in adolescents is associated with the level of loneliness severity.
 Scope of the results: the results of the study can be applied by psychologists, social workers and educators when working with adolescents with an eating disorder.