Stress and Coping in Academically High-Achieving Females Before the Onset of Disordered Eating: The Role of Academic Achievement

This qualitative case study investigated the experiences of fourteen academically high-achieving females before the onset of disordered eating and the role of academic achievement in the process of stress and coping. Findings showed that academic achievement was both a coping strategy and a stressor for all participants. A timeline analysis revealed a complex process that involved three phases in the build up of stress before the onset of disordered eating. The role of academic achievement changed during the process. The results of this study contribute to an understanding of the development of disordered eating in academically high-achieving females.