Imagem do corpo e bulimia: a imagem da jovem bulímica e a de sua mãe

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze and understand how body image is seen by young bulimic women regarding their own ideals as well as their mothers’. It focused on psychic aspects related to how body image is constituted and its alterations in bulimia, using psychoanalytical references. Recent scientific research being carried out on body image and bulimia were also examined. The approach was qualitative-exploratory, using the strategy of multiple case studies. Subjects of the study were two young women, who were 19 and 24 years old, diagnosed as bulimic, and their respective mothers. The study carried out on each young woman and her mother was considered one case. Access to the cases took place thanks to recommendations by specialized professionals from the Centro de Especialidades em Saúde (CES) - Secretaria Municipal da Saúde (SMS) (Specialized Health Center – Municipal Health Secretary) which is run by the City Hall of Caxias do Sul. Research instruments used were non-structured and semi-structured interviews with the young women and their mothers, the Human Figure Drawing Test, the EAT-26, the BITE, the BSQ, and Stunkard Body Image Scale. Results indicated that both the young bulimic women and their mothers showed dissatisfaction with their body images, from their own ideals as well as their mothers’ ideals. They also indicated that the young women taking part in the study sought for an ideal body image as manifestation of flaws in the constitution of narcissism and identity given the relationship with the mother figure not being much discriminated. In addition to that, results indicated that through bulimia, the daughters would be responding to their mothers’ conscious and unconscious ideals.