Applying the Theory of Work Adjustment to Clients With Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa

As women have gained entry and status in the workforce over the past century, societal focus on female beauty and thinness has intensified, and rates of eating disorders have risen. In tandem with these trends, many career women have come to associate success at work with the ability to maintain strict control over body weight. This control becomes life-threatening, however, to the individual who develops symptoms of anorexia nervosa. This article uses Dawis and Lofquist’s theory of work adjustment (TWA) as a way to conceptualize the precarious person-environment correspondence sometimes achieved by women with anorexic symptoms in their work environments. Practical suggestions, based in TWA and cognitive-behavioral theory, are suggested for career counselors working with these clients.