Buiding Resilience Through Early Intervention: Identifying and Preventing Female Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa
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Authors
Sophie Lynch
Issue Date
2026
Type
Language
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Abstract
This presentation examines the role that parental figures can play in the identification and prevention of Anorexia Nervosa in adolescent females. With that, the research question of interest is as follows: How can parental figures and guardians serve as identifiers and preventers of Anorexia Nervosa in adolescent females? “Why don’t I look like her?” is a question that young girls often ask themselves as society influences their perceptions of beauty and appearance. Eating disorders are not a foreign concept to our society; however, despite their prevalence, a significant gap persists between primary care physicians’ knowledge and effective early intervention strategies. This gap stems from insufficient training, which limits physicians’ ability to recognize early signs and symptoms and reduces their awareness of available treatment pathways. While it is necessary to highlight the structural failure of primary care physicians’ education on Anorexia Nervosa, it is imperative to acknowledge the significant role that parental figures and guardians of female adolescents can hold in the identification and prevention of Anorexia Nervosa. After reviewing scholarly sources and understanding the educational opportunities available to parental figures, it became apparent that there is a need to raise awareness of this topic and emphasize the power of early intervention strategies. Early intervention, within the scope of this research, refers to the prompt identification of the earliest emerging signs of Anorexia Nervosa. The research will focus on the importance of creating educational resources that enable guardians to be fully educated on the risks and the methods of prevention of Anorexia Nervosa.