Date of Conferral

12-16-2025

Date of Award

December 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Katarzyna Holloway

Abstract

Counselor educators lack an in-depth understanding of the unique needs and experiences of African American women with binge eating behavior, leading them to be ill-equipped to train counselors to meet these culturally specific needs. As a result of this study, counselor educators were able to understand how African American women experience binge eating behavior, enhancing training for counselors. This qualitative study included a transcendental phenomenological approach and focused on providing answers regarding the lived experiences of African American women with binge eating behavior during their binge eating episodes. Semistructured interviews with eight African American women with binge eating behavior were conducted and analyzed through a descriptive thematic analysis plan. The results of this study revealed that stress is a precursor to binge eating behavior and that African American women were aware of their emotions during the binge episodes. The results also showed that binge eating behavior is a manifestation of an unresolved internal struggle embedded within multilayered problems, with reports of overoccupation with body image. More findings unveiled the barriers to seeking counseling despite African American women’s inability to satisfy the urge to binge and their need to be heard and understood. Future research should focus on relating the specifics of the different forms of stress to the culture at large and illuminating body image dissatisfaction as a function of cultural beauty ideals. Exploring traumas as part of the internal struggle is a future research topic worth exploring to understand their impact on binge eating behavior. This study contributes to social change by providing counselor educators with contextualized knowledge about African American women’s struggle with binge eating, suggesting the importance of adapting counseling theories based on the racial minority worldviews and unique needs. It also increases the representation of African American women in research, ensuring their voices are heard and enhancing social equity.

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