Deck 32: Drug Use and Disordered Eating Among College Women

Question 1

According to Sirles, the majority of research dealing with women's efforts to control and manage their weight has

A) failed to recognize the extreme measures, such as licit and illicit drug use, undertaken by women to conform to an American ideal of feminine beauty.
B) failed to document the size and scope of the twin problems of anorexia and bulimia employed by women to conform to an American ideal of feminine beauty.
C) overlooked the role played by men who, as boyfriends and husbands, provide subtle pressures for women to conform to an American ideal of feminine beauty.
D) done a good job of explaining the role of licit but not illicit drug use undertaken by women to conform to an American ideal of feminine beauty.

Answer 1

failed to recognize the extreme measures, such as licit and illicit drug use, undertaken by women to conform to an American ideal of feminine beauty.

Question 2

The research methodology employed by Sirles in her study of drug use and disordered eating included

A) the largest national survey of women with disordered eating behaviors ever undertaken.
B) a convenience sample of high school, college, and professional women aged 14-40, who were administered structured surveys via email to guarantee confidentiality
C) in-depth life history interviews from a convenience sample of college women at a large public university.
D) a triangulation of surveys, life histories and interviews administered to a random sample of college women

Answer 2

in-depth life history interviews from a convenience sample of college women at a large public university.

Question 3

Based on her research into drug use and disordered eating, Sirles offers a fourfold typology of instrumental drug users based on the following two dimensions

A) illicit and licit drug use.
B) conventional and overconformist.
C) disordered eating and drug use foundation.
D) type of drug use and drug using foundation.

Answer 3

type of drug use and drug using foundation.

Question 4

All of the following represent categories Sirles defines as part of the four types of instrumental drug users EXCEPT

A) scroungers.
B) hedonists.
C) conventional over-conformists.
D) opportunists.

Question 5

According to Sirles typology, the category of women who reported a history of disordered eating prior to their instrumental prescription drug use for weight loss

A) scroungers
B) journeyers
C) conventional over-conformists
D) opportunists

Question 6

According to Sirles typology, the category of women who used prescription drugs recreationally or medicinally prior to their instrumental use for weight control

A) opportunists.
B) hedonists.
C) scroungers.
D) journeyers.

Question 7

According to Sirles typology, the category of women who reported a history of disordered eating only later turning to street drugs for weight control

A) scroungers.
B) journeyers.
C) conventional over-conformists.
D) opportunists.

Question 8

According to Sirles typology, the category of women who reported initially using street drugs recreationally, and only later transformed their drug use into an instrumental pattern for weight control, is

A) scroungers.
B) opportunists.
C) hedonists.
D) journeyers.

Question 9

For the most part, as an example of loner deviance, women in Sirles study reported utilizing

A) a network of close intimate friends and confidants as a support group.
B) lies and secrecy to keep their deviance hidden.
C) sought the company of other like-minded persons both for social support and as a means of finding a mentor to assist them with various techniques.
D) chose to compartmentalize their lives by becoming both recreational drug-users and fitness or health buffs.

Question 10

In order to manage the impressions of others about them the women in Sirles' study had to navigate a number of practical hurdles including all of the following EXCEPT

A) health consequences of instrumental drug use.
B) financing drug use.
C) becoming drug dealers themselves to help support their own drug use.
D) having to monitor on their own physical symptoms of licit and illicit drug use such as moods and energy levels.

Question 11

Discuss and explain the significant contribution Sirles makes in her study of drug use and disordered eating to the literature on disordered eating by her focus on instrumental drug use. What is unique about her approach and how does it depart from previous research in this area? Do you agree this is a much neglected phenomenon worthy of explicit study-why or why not?

Question 12

Describe and explain each of the four categories of instrumental drug use Sirles posits: conventional over-conformists, journeyers, opportunists and scroungers. Provide clear examples of each, explaining the role of secrecy among both licit and illicit instrumental substance users in each of these cases. Based on your own college experience, do any of these types appear to represent the most common or frequent pathway to instrumental drug use to control eating? Have you ever been aware of anyone fitting into one or more of these categories? Or do you think the loner nature of this form of deviance pretty much keeps this form of deviance hidden from view?

Question 13

In general eating disorders among women are seen as the result of individual efforts to conform to the cultural emphasis on the American ideal of feminine beauty. Explain how and why the general area of instrumental drug use in connection with weight control that Sirles brings to light, although an interesting case, is for the most part no different than other types of non-instrumental drug use on this score. Do you think many of us would view such deviance more positively for this reason?

Question 14

Explain based on Sirles study of drug use and disordered eating, the two practical hurdles associated with instrumental drug use: dealing with health consequences on one's own as well as financing drug use.