Article
Details
Citation
Papathomas A & Lavallee D (2014) Self-starvation and the performance narrative in competitive sport.. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 15 (6), pp. 688-695. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2013.10.014
Abstract
Objectives: To provide an alternative to medical understanding of disordered eating in sport through an emphasis on personal perspectives.?
Design: This study draws on narrative theory to interpretively analyse the life of Holly, a female athlete who engages in severe self-starvation.?
Methods: More than 7 hours of life history data was gathered over a period of 8 months through unstructured interviews. Holly's story was analyzed through principles of narrative analysis, with attention afforded to both narrative content and structure.?
Results:?Holly's life is characterized by a struggle to align her life experiences with a culturally specified ¡°performance narrative¡± that lauds normative success. When neither her academic nor sporting endeavors are perceived to fulfil the achievement narrative, Holly is thrust into emotional turmoil and begins to conceive of self-starvation as a means to achieve.?
Conclusions: The performance narrative spans both academic and sporting cultural domains and it can play a role in athlete disordered eating.
Keywords
Health; Sport; Eating disorders
Journal
Psychology of Sport and Exercise: Volume 15, Issue 6
| Status | Published |
|---|---|
| Publication date | 30/11/2014 |
| Publication date online | 28/11/2013 |
| Date accepted by journal | 29/10/2013 |
| URL | |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| ISSN | 1469-0292 |