Paulo Padilla-Petry

The biomedical view of eating disorders (EDs) dominates in their classification and treatment regardless of the importance of sociocultural factors in EDs. Critical feminist approaches to EDs try to relate them to oppressive situations, disempowerment and the construction of gender. Educational interventions with people with EDs may be an alternative to biomedical approaches, giving them opportunities to tell their stories, listen to themselves and take control of their lives. This article presents a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with professionals who carry out educational interventions for people with EDs. Findings show that the biomedical description and treatment of EDs remain unchallenged and recognising client voice may be a problem, even in educational interventions. Also, the potential negative consequences of the rigid control of the clients’ lives seem to be ignored. Feminist approaches to EDs are acknowledged but do not seem to guide any intervention. Sociocultural critical stances that would recognise the coherence or the transitions between what is considered as healthy and sick eating also seem to be lacking.

The lack of student engagement in school has been studied from different approaches. Participatory methods are gaining acceptance and relevance in educational research because they respond to both ethical and validity concerns. Since youth engagement in participatory research should not be taken for granted and may overlap with student engagement in studies in schools, this article presents an analysis of adult researchers’ and young co-researchers’ field notes, journals, and reports of an ethnographic participatory research about learning in and outside school carried out in five secondary schools with 35 students. Findings show the different perceptions of youth engagement between young and adult researchers and how youth agency and autonomy may be more easily desired than recognized by adult researchers.