Award Date

5-1-2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

First Committee Member

Kara Christensen

Second Committee Member

Nicole Short

Third Committee Member

Gloria Wong-Padoongpatt

Fourth Committee Member

Tirth Bhatta

Number of Pages

79

Abstract

Although food restriction is associated with binge-eating symptoms (Herman & Mack, 1975; Dakanalis et al., 2014), less is known about the effect of religious fasting. During the holy month of Ramadan, many Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. Hasan et al. (2021) suggested that in Muslim-minority countries where fasting is less common, Ramadan fasting could be associated with negative consequences related to eating and body image, such as increased preoccupation with appearance and food. At the same time, religiosity might also function as a protective factor against mental health symptoms (Mussap, 2009). To my knowledge, no studies have examined the impact of Ramadan fasting on eating-disorder outcomes in the United States. I thus recruited N = 56 Muslim women who completed baseline and weekly questionnaires assessing religious fasting and mental health symptoms before, during, and after Ramadan. Results were analyzed using paired t tests in which symptoms were investigated across time periods - before, during, and after Ramadan, as well as a multiple regression analysis. I hypothesized that binge eating symptoms would be higher during Ramadan compared to before and after Ramadan, general eating disorder symptoms would be higher during Ramadan compared to before and after Ramadan, there would be a positive significant relationship between days fasted and binge eating symptoms during Ramadan, depression symptoms would be lower during Ramadan compared to before and after Ramadan, and anxiety symptoms would be lower during Ramadan compared to before and after Ramadan. Results show that Ramadan fasting was associated with a statistically significant decrease in binge eating, change in eating disorder, and anxiety symptoms; but no significant changes in depression symptoms. There might be protective factors that buffer against ED symptoms. Future studies should investigate these mechanisms to enhance the wellbeing of this population.

Controlled Subject

Ramadan; Compulsive eating; Muslim women

Disciplines

Clinical Psychology

File Format

pdf

File Size

854 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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Available for download on Monday, May 15, 2028


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