Prospective Psychosocial Predictors of Onset and Cessation of Eating Pathology amongst College Women

This study aimed to address these research gaps. College women (N = 2202) completed an assessment of eating pathology and potential risk/maintenance factors at two time points, 9 months apart. Logistic regression models indicated that elevated body dissatisfaction, thin‐ideal internalization, self‐objectification, negative affectivity and lower self‐esteem at baseline predicted ‘onset’ of clinically significant disordered eating symptomatology at follow‐up. Greater self‐esteem and lower initial levels on the remaining risk factors predicted subsequent ‘cessation’ of clinically significant disordered eating symptoms. Self‐objectification had greater explanatory value with regard to ‘cessation’ and ‘onset’ relative to the remaining traditionally accepted factors that demonstrated half as much predictive power or less. Practical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Source: European Eating Disorders Review - February 5, 2016 Category: Eating Disorders and Weight Management Authors: Antonios Dakanalis, Alix Timko, Silvia Serino, Giuseppe Riva, Massimo Clerici, Giuseppe Carrà Tags: Brief Report Source Type: research