An Overview of Anorexia Nervosa in Males

Abstract

This article presents an integrative overview of existing research on anorexia nervosa (AN) in adolescent males. AN is commonly thought of as a female disorder. Even though as much as 25% of the clinical population is male, research on AN in males is limited. Additionally, most conceptualizations of male AN emphasize a single etiological factor and, therefore, produce treatments that fail to address it as a global phenomenon. In contrast, an integrative understanding that incorporates research on the familial, biological, cultural, and psychodynamic elements involved in male AN encourages treatment that comprehensively addresses the disorder.