Trauma Reverberations

The Intersected Lived Experiences of Food Insecurity, Eating Disorders, Chronic Diseases, and Food Relationships of University Students

Abstract

Current research shows a clear relationship between trauma and health, yet the intersectionality of trauma, food insecurity, eating disorders, chronic diseases, and food relationships is minimally examined in counseling and family therapy scholarship. Though the academic environment is optimal for healing, interconnected trauma and health encounters, including those of marginalized students, are not well understood. A phenomenological study, therefore, examines how intergenerational trauma intersects with student-participants’ lived experiences of food insecurity, eating disorders, chronic diseases, and food relationships. Results indicate that intergenerational health, environment, food accessibility, imprinting, and food relationships influence how students utilize resources and protective factors in lived experiences. Interlineal factors also impact how students experience campus culture related to FI, EDs, CDs, and FRs, and the systemic racism endured by marginalized students when seeking help. Future implications for inclusive campus resources are discussed.