DClinPsy Portfolio Volume 1 of 3 - University of Hertfordshire ...

The BMI-for-age weight status categories differ in the U.K from the U.S. The
corresponding percentiles are shown for each country in the following table:
U.S Weight
Status Category
Underweight
Healthy weight
At risk of
overweight
Overweight
Ethical issues:
U.S Percentile Range U.K Weight Status
Categories
Less than the 5 th
percentile
5 th percentile to less
than the 85 th percentile
85 th to less than the
95 th percentile
Equal to or greater
than the 95 th percentile
U.K Percentile
Range
Underweight Less than the 2nd
percentile
Healthy weight 3 rd percentile to less
than the 90 th percentile
Overweight 91 st to less than the
98 th percentile
Obese Equal to or greater
than the 98 th percentile
The researcher was mindful that the subject of disordered eating may be a sensitive one
for adolescent females aged 12-15. Also, other questions asked such as those regarding
the experience of certain life events e.g. abuse, may also have been highly sensitive. It
was therefore deemed important for the adolescents to have time and space in a quiet
environment to complete the questionnaire. Furthermore due to the possibility that the
questions may have had the potential to cause distress the researcher sought to reduce the
likelihood of this by making it clear that all participants could contact her for further
advice and support in the event that they experienced distress. The researcher’s contact
details were therefore placed on the participant information sheet and the participants
were informed at the start of data collection that she could be contacted either following
the data collection session or at a later date. A debrief sheet was given to all the
participants which detailed services or websites they could access for support and
information about various issues including eating disorders and abuse. The debrief sheet
prompted the participants to use the listed resources if any of the questions left them
feeling distressed.
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