"Pro-Ana" Web-Log Uses and Gratifications towards Understanding the Pro-Anorexia Paradox

• Main Author: Mantella, Dana G
• Format: Others
• Published: Digital Archive @ GSU 2007
• Subjects: Web-logs; Eating disorders; Blogrings; Social support; Internet; Communication
• Online Access: http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/communication_theses/24; http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1023&context=communication_theses

Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses. Currently, web-logs are hosts to thousands of pro-ana (short for pro-anorexia) blogring participants, joining together with a common claim that eating disorders are "lifestyles not illnesses." This study explored participation motives among pro-ana blogring participants, relationships to individual psycho-social factors, and to unique web-log features. Results from the cross-sectional online survey suggest three main participation motives among blogring participants (community, obtaining social/ emotional support, and ego-protection). Results also indicate individual factors such as; social support satisfaction, drive-for-thinness, and BMI were related to blogger motives in a various diverse ways. Analyses of the findings from the present study reflect the self-disclosive nature of the blogging process. The results have several implications for eating disorder, computer-mediated communication, internet social support, and blog/blogring research.