During adolescence, eating disorders are a widespread issue. They reflect deep emotional struggles, taking the form of altered attitudes towards food and body image. Narrow and strict diagnostic criteria, societal acceptance of harmful eating patterns, and stigma often contribute to these disorders often remaining hidden and left untreated. Adolescent girls in secondary education are particularly vulnerable to this issue. A social worker in secondary school counselling services, that is often in daily contact with students, can significantly contribute to early recognition of eating disorders. By establishing a safe, confidential relationship with students, parents, teachers, and external professionals, they foster a collaborative approach that facilitates early intervention. Together with the student, the social worker can plan the first steps towards recovery and a more fulfilling life. The master’s thesis explores the role of secondary school social workers in addressing eating disorders among secondary school students. It begins by introducing the field of eating disorders, defining key terms, exploring various manifestations, risk factors, and potential consequences across different life domains. The thesis highlights the crucial role of the secondary school counselling service in identifying eating disorders, facilitating ongoing collaboration, and implementing preventive measures. It also explores the service’s key tasks, principles, and specific activities relevant to supporting students with eating disorders. Additionally, it emphasizes collaboration with students facing eating disorders, as well as with parents, teachers, and external experts. The thesis actively investigates and presents various ways to prevent eating disorders in schools, as well as protecting the mental health of students and reducing risks of developing mental health problems in the school environment.
The second part of the thesis presents a qualitative study, the results of which show that social workers are relatively often working with secondary school girls with eating disorders. Accessibility, the personal commitment of the social worker and the relationship they establish with the students proved to be important preconditions for the cooperation to start. When talking to secondary school students with eating disorders, social workers address a variety of topics that are directly or indirectly related to eating disorders. They also draw on social work concepts and knowledge as well as competences acquired during their social work studies. The social workers stress the importance of unity or coordinated action between the various professionals and important people in the adolescent's life (counsellors, clinical psychologists, parents, teachers, sports coaches, etc.). The results also show that prevention activities related to mental health are carried out in all secondary schools surveyed, while prevention activities related to eating disorders are carried out in half of the secondary schools. The biggest risk factor that, in the opinion and experience of the social workers, contributes to adolescents' dissatisfaction with their physical appearance and to the incidence of eating disorders among secondary school students is the excessive and inappropriate use of social networks and exposure to the beauty ideals they portray.
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