Associations among Eating Disorder Symptoms, Relationship Quality, and Perceived Social Support

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa K. Holt ◽  
Dorothy L. Espelage
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Eating Disorder Symptoms

scholarly journals Perceived Weight Gain and Eating Disorder Symptoms among LGBTQ+ Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Convergent Mixed-Method Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Tabler ◽  
Rachel M Schmitz ◽  
Ruby Charak ◽  
Eliza Dickinson
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Weight Concerns ◽  
Eating Disorder Symptoms ◽  
Perceived Weight ◽  
Related Stress

Abstract BackgroundIn this study, we seek to further explore the role of COVID-19 pandemic-related stress, social support, and resilience on self-reported eating disorder symptoms (using the EDE-QS) and perceived weight gain among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer (LGBTQ+ adults) in the US context during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsEmploying a convergent mixed method design, we surveyed 411 individuals, and conducted qualitative semi-structured follow-up interviews with 43 LGBTQ+-identifying survey respondents. Using OLS regression and multinomial logistic regression, we modeled eating disorder symptoms and perceived weight gain among LGBTQ+ individuals (n=120) and cisgender and heterosexual-identifying women (n=230), to cisgender and heterosexual-identifying men (n=61). We also explored complementary interview narratives among LGBTQ+ people by employing selective coding strategies. ResultsStudy results suggest that LGBTQ+ individuals are likely experiencing uniquely high levels of pandemic-related stress, and secondly, that pandemic-related stress is associated with elevated eating disorder symptoms and higher risk of perceived weight gain. Nearly 1 in 3 participants reported eating disorder symptoms of potentially clinical significance. Social support, but not resilient coping, was found to be protective against increased eating disorder symptoms. Qualitative analyses revealed that LGBTQ+ individuals situated physical exercise constraints, challenging eating patterns, and weight concerns within their pandemic experiences. ConclusionsClinicians of diverse specialties should screen for eating disorder symptoms and actively engage patients in conversations about their COVID-19 related weight gain and eating behaviors, particularly with LGBTQ+-identifying adults.

scholarly journals Psychological well-being of identity-release egg donation parents with infants

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Imrie ◽  
V Jadva ◽  
S Golombok
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Egg Donation ◽  
Couple Relationship ◽  
Normal Range ◽  
Psychological Well Being

Abstract STUDY QUESTION What are the psychological health, relationship quality and perceived social support outcomes of heterosexual couples who have conceived an infant through identity-release egg donation? SUMMARY ANSWER Parents’ scores on all measures were within the normal range. Egg donation mothers had poorer perceived social support, and egg donation fathers had less optimal psychological health than a comparison group of IVF parents, although these differences were associated with the older age of egg donation parents, rather than being an effect of family type. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY There is limited understanding of the psychological health and couple relationship quality of egg donation parents, and no empirical data on parents’ social support, during the first year of parenthood. No studies have included families who have used an identity-release egg donor. The study offers the first examination of the psychological well-being of identity-release egg donation parents. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This study included 57 families created through identity-release egg donation, and a comparison group of 56 families who had used IVF with their own gametes, recruited through UK fertility clinics. Families were visited at home between October 2013 and June 2015. The sample forms part of a larger study examining family functioning in families created following fertility treatment. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHOD All families were heterosexual two-parent families with an infant aged 6–18 months. Mothers and fathers were administered standardised questionnaires assessing psychological health (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Trait Anxiety Inventory and Parenting Stress Index-short form), couple relationship quality (Golombok Rust Inventory of Marital State) and perceived social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Scores from the egg donation and IVF parents were within the normal range on all measures. Significant differences were found between the groups indicating less optimal social support in egg donation mothers compared to IVF mothers, and poorer psychological health in egg donation fathers compared to IVF fathers. These differences appeared to be related to the older age of egg donation parents or to twin parenthood, rather than to egg donation per se. No differences were found between the groups in the parents’ relationship quality. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION It is possible that families who were managing the transition to parenthood less well may have been less likely to participate in research. Fewer IVF than egg donation fathers participated in the study, so the statistical power was lower for comparisons between fathers. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The findings are of relevance to UK clinics offering identity-release egg donation. That scores of egg donation parents on measures of psychological well-being were more similar than different to those of IVF parents should prove reassuring to individuals considering this treatment type. As less optimal outcomes were found for egg donation parents on several measures, and these were associated with parental age rather than conception type, it is recommended that clinics discuss with older patients how they may establish a social support network and signpost patients to appropriate post-natal support. STUDY FUNDING, COMPETING INTERESTS This research was supported by a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator Award [097857/Z/11/Z] and a CHESS-ESRC studentship. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A

What Do We Know About Gay and Lesbian Couples?

2005 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 251-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence A. Kurdek
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Married Couples ◽  
Household Labor ◽  
Gay And Lesbian ◽  
Heterosexual Couples ◽  
Limited Data ◽  
Lesbian Couples

Research on gay and lesbian couples is highlighted with regard to household labor, conflict, satisfaction, perceived social support, stability, and the variables that predict relationship quality. Relative to partners from married heterosexual couples, partners from gay and lesbian couples tend to assign household labor more fairly, resolve conflict more constructively, experience similar levels of satisfaction, and perceive less support from family members but more support from friends. The limited data available indicate that gay and lesbian couples may be less stable than married heterosexual couples. The factors that predict relationship quality tend to be the same for gay, lesbian, and heterosexual married couples. Overall, research paints a positive picture of gay and lesbian couples and indicates that they tend to be more similar to than different from heterosexual couples.

scholarly journals Mental Health, Social and Emotional Well-Being, and Perceived Burdens of University Students During COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Germany

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Kohls ◽  
Sabrina Baldofski ◽  
Raiko Moeller ◽  
Sarah-Lena Klemm ◽  
Christine Rummel-Kluge
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
University Students ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Eating Disorder Symptoms ◽  
Sum Score

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been affecting everyone's daily life in unknown measures since its outbreak. Nearly all Universities around the globe were affected. Further, young people and University students in particular, are known to be vulnerable for developing mental disorders. This study aims to examine the mental health social and emotional well-being and perceived burdens of University students during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Germany.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional and anonymous online survey among University students assessed mental health status with standardized measures (depressive symptoms, alcohol and drug consumption, and eating disorder symptoms), attitudes toward the COVID-19 pandemic and perceived burdens, and social and emotional aspects of the pandemic (social support, perceived stress, loneliness, and self-efficacy).Results: In total, N = 3,382 German University students participated. Nearly half of the students (49%) reported that they are worried or very much worried about the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority supports the governmental lockdown measures (85%). A Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) sum score of 10 or above, indicating clinically relevant depressive symptoms, was reported by 37% (n = 1,249). The PHQ-9 sum score was on average 8.66 (SD = 5.46). Suicidal thoughts were indicated by 14.5% of the participants. Levels of depressive symptoms differed significantly for the different self-rated income changes during the pandemic (increase, decrease, no change in income). Further, levels of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation differed significantly for students from different faculties. Multiple regression analyses revealed that not being a parent, having no indirect social contact one or two times a week, higher perceived stress, higher experienced loneliness, lower social support, and lower self-efficacy significantly predicted higher scores of depressive symptoms, also higher hazardous alcohol use, and higher levels of eating disorder symptoms. Other aspects of lifestyle such as social and cultural activities, dating, and hobbies were reported to be negatively affected during the pandemic.Conclusion: The present study implies that University students are vulnerable and due to elevated depressive symptoms at risk, being hit hard by the pandemic, but are in general coping adaptively. Low-threshold online interventions promoting help-seeking and also targeting various mental health conditions might bridge the gap the COVID-19 pandemic opened up recently.

scholarly journals Perceived weight gain and eating disorder symptoms among LGBTQ+ adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: a convergent mixed-method study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Tabler ◽  
Rachel M. Schmitz ◽  
Ruby Charak ◽  
Eliza Dickinson
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Eating Disorder Symptoms ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Perceived Weight ◽  
Related Stress

Abstract Background In this study, we further explore the role of COVID-19 pandemic-related stress, social support, and resilience on self-reported eating disorder symptoms (using the EDE-QS) and perceived weight gain among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ+ adults) in the US context during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Employing a convergent mixed method design, we surveyed 411 individuals, and conducted qualitative semi-structured follow-up interviews with 43 LGBTQ+ -identifying survey respondents. Using OLS regression and multinomial logistic regression, we modeled eating disorder symptoms and perceived weight gain among LGBTQ+ individuals (n = 120) and cisgender and heterosexual-identifying women (n = 230), to cisgender and heterosexual-identifying men (n = 61). We also explored complementary interview narratives among LGBTQ+ people by employing selective coding strategies. Results Study results suggest that LGBTQ+ individuals are likely experiencing uniquely high levels of pandemic-related stress, and secondly, that pandemic-related stress is associated with elevated eating disorder symptoms and higher risk of perceived weight gain. Nearly 1 in 3 participants reported eating disorder symptoms of potentially clinical significance. Social support, but not resilient coping, was found to be protective against increased eating disorder symptoms. Qualitative analyses revealed that LGBTQ+ individuals situated physical exercise constraints, challenging eating patterns, and weight concerns within their pandemic experiences. Conclusions Clinicians of diverse specialties should screen for eating disorder symptoms and actively engage patients in conversations about their COVID-19-related weight gain and eating behaviors, particularly with LGBTQ+ -identifying adults.

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