Princess Diana : A Case Study

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Many people remember Princess Diana for her very fragile and loving nature, however during an interview with BBC, she often remarks “I am a very strong person,” an ironic statement for someone whose life was full of challenges and disappointments (Elliot& Pederson, 1995, p.62). Beginning with her birth on July 1, 1961 to aristocratic parents Viscount and Viscountess Johnnie and Frances Althorp, Princess Diana (then Diana Frances Spencer) believed she was a disappointment to her parents because she was not born a baby boy, the desired heir to the Spencer estate. Feelings of disappointment continued for Diana during her parent’s divorce at the age of six and her father’s second marriage to Raine (a woman she despised) when she was 16. Shortly after her father’s marriage to Raine, Diana failed her “O-levels” (or college placement tests), and was sent to a Swiss finishing school to develop her passion for skiing rather than focus on academics. It was based on this new sense of freedom that caused Diana to exhibit problematic behaviors, such as relentless stubbornness and lying, as well as early symptoms of an eating disorder (Elliot & Pederson, 1995). Thus, it is the purpose of this paper to examine how the events of Diana’s life in conjunction with psychological components contributed to her development of bulimia nervosa. Biological Component Eating disorders like bulimia are a significant public health problem for individuals across the lifespan (American Psychological Association, 2012).More important, the biological explanation of bulimia derived from the concept of multiple causality, suggests symptoms of eating disorders are heavily influenced by non-genetic factors and often co-occur with other disorde... ... middle of paper ... ...g as an ambassador for England, Diana desperately sought out peace for herself and others throughout the course of her life, which in my opinion has earned her the permanent title as “the people’s princess.” Works Cited American Psychological Association(2012). Eating Disorders. Retrieved from, http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/eating.aspx Hansell, J., & Damour, L. (2008). Abnormal psychology (2nd ed.).Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Elliott, M. (1995). ‘I won't go quietly.' (cover story). Newsweek, 126(23), 62. Peyser, M., & McGuire, S. (1997). Diana in her own words. Newsweek, 130(15), 64. March, P., & Grose, S. (2011). Bulimia Nervosa. CINAHL Nursing Guide. Segal, N. (2009). Chapter 5: Diana's radiance. GENUS: Gender In Modern Culture, 12101-118. Triggs, C. (2011). The Princess Diet. People, 75(12), 84.

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