"A Full Stomach": Culturally Sensitive Diagnosis of Eating Disorders among Ethiopian Adolescents in Israel.

Abstract

In recent decades there has been a significant increase in the prevalence of eating disorders among non-Western populations. This article aims to address unique sociocultural issues regarding the procedure and dilemmas of the diagnosis process of eating disorders among Ethiopian adolescents in Israel. We will discuss cultural aspects relating to the perception of the disease and the circumstantial contexts relating to this population, such as the process of immigration, integration into Israeli society and issues related to identity and trauma. Diagnostic dilemmas relating to the differences between traditional vs Western perceptions of the illness will be discussed. For illustration, two case studies will be presented. In the discussion, a culturally-sensitive diagnostic model is proposed. Based on Cultural Formulation Interview, this model assumes that the observation of clinical cases from different cultural backgrounds cannot be achieved solely through a western diagnostic prism. Rather, we suggest that the diagnostic process should continue throughout the entire therapeutic process.