| A qualitative study was conducted to explore the past pro-anorexia ( pro-ana) Internet community experiences of adolescent girls and women in recovery for eating disorders (ED). Seven adolescent women between the ages of 19 and 25 were interviewed to gain understanding about experiences on pro-ana websites throughout ED and recovery. The interviews were analyzed using Maykut and Morehouse's (1994) constant comparative method. Thirteen major themes (2 of which had a subtheme) and five minor themes emerged from the data. The major themes included: Relatively Passive Participation, Virtual Social Connectedness, Negative Peer Support, Secretive About Pro-Ana Website Use, Relationships Have Improved Since Leaving the Pro-Ana Community, Did Not Find a Real Sense of Community, Justification of ED, Facilitating ED, Negative Feelings About Using Pro-Ana Websites, Pro-Ana and Recovery Overlap, Negative Response to Mass Media, Impacted By Images on Pro-Ana Websites, and Pro-Ana Websites are Damaging. The minor themes included: Addictive, Barriers to Recovery, Equates Pro-Ana Websites With Other Media, Eating Disordered Veil, and Wants Others to Stay Away From Pro-Ana Websites. It was found that overlap was experienced between pro-ana and recovery sources. Participants experienced pro-ana websites as addictive and evocative of negative emotions such as guilt and shame. As well, participants reported passive involvement on pro-ana websites, yet also experienced a noteworthy connection with others on the websites. Participants reported experiencing a negative support group-like environment, feeling triggered to engage in ED, and feeling more justified in ED as a result of viewing pro-ana websites. Finally, participants equated pro-ana thinspiration images to images in mainstream media. |
