Eating Attitudes in Female College Students with Self-Reported Alexithymic Characteristics

1998 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isao Fukunishi

Several studies have indicated that there is a close relationship between eating attitudes and alexithymic characteristics. In this study, the influence of parental bonding on the association of alexithymic characteristics and eating attitudes was examined in a sample of 580 college students. Multivariate analyses of variance indicated that female students with two alexithymic characteristics, difficulty identifying feelings and difficulty describing feelings, exhibited more abnormal eating attitudes (poor oral control). Multivariate analysis of covariance gave significant associations with maternal care. Although these subjects were not patients with eating disorders the results suggest that the two alexithymic characteristics studied were associated with lack of maternal care and are a risk factor for eating disorders.

2001 ◽  
Vol 88 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1245-1250
Author(s):  
Isao Fukunishi ◽  
Kanae Koyama

We examined the correlations of alexithymic characteristics with the expression of unfavorable feelings such as anger and hostility and abnormal eating attitudes and behaviors in a sample of 278 Japanese female college students. Mean scores on the Eating Attitude Inventory, MMPI Hostility, and State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory were significantly higher for female college students with alexithymic characteristics than for those with nonalexithymic characteristics. Multivariate analysis of covariance indicated that the significant relationships between alexithymic characteristics and oral control of the eating attitudes were controlled by scores on anger-in and anger control, suggesting that anger-in and anger control may mediate the relationship between alexithymic characteristics and abnormal eating attitudes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-179
Author(s):  
Mingqi Li ◽  
Edward C. Chang ◽  
Olivia D. Chang

Introduction: Interpersonal context is believed to represent a powerful factor that often fosters and sustains eating disturbances in females. The present study focused on the development of a measure tapping into positive interpersonal expectancies predicated on being thin believed to be positively involved in eating disorders in females, namely, the Interpersonal Outcome Expectancies for Thinness (IOET). Method: In Study 1, a total of 361 U.S. female college students completed the IOET for factor analysis. In Study 2, to assess for construct validity, an independent sample of 184 U.S. female college students completed a test battery including the IOET and measures of eating attitudes and disturbances, positive and negative affectivity, and general optimism. Results: In Study 1, results from an exploratory factor analysis indicated a one-factor solution for the IOET accounting for 76.70% of the total variance. In Study 2, the IOET was found to possess good test-retest reliability (6-week) in a subset sample of U.S. female participants. Moreover, in support for construct validity, we found IOET scores were positively associated with scores on measures of eating disturbances (e.g., bulimic symptoms) and negative affectivity. Additionally, IOET scores were negatively associated with scores on a measure of general optimism. Finally, in support of utility, the IOET was found to add incremental validity to the prediction of eating disturbances, even after accounting for general optimism and affectivity. Discussion: The present findings provide promising evidence for the validity, reliability, and utility of the IOET as a measure of a maladaptive cognitive schema associated with eating disorders in females. Implications for the theory and clinical assessments were discussed.


2006 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Özcan Uzun ◽  
Nurdan Güleç ◽  
Aytekin Özşahin ◽  
Ali Doruk ◽  
Barbaros Özdemir ◽  
...  

2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 599-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hala N Madanat ◽  
Ryan Lindsay ◽  
Tiffany Campbell

AbstractObjectiveTo determine the nutrition transition stage of female Jordanian college students.DesignA cross-sectional survey was used to assess eating styles, disordered eating attitudes and behaviours, body esteem and dissatisfaction, and media influence.SettingPublic and private universities in Jordan.SubjectsA total of 255 subjects were recruited through a government-initiated youth campaign.ResultsThe majority of participants had a normal BMI (70·6 %) with almost all (99·4 %) reporting restrained eating behaviour. Scores on the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) indicated that 45·2 % of these female college students should be screening for eating disorders. Subscales of the Body Esteem Scale (BES) showed that these women did not have substantial body esteem issues and mean scores on the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ-3) indicated that overall these women did not feel the media was dictating the way their body should look. Where Jordanian women did feel pressure from Western media, there was a 6·7-fold increase in the likelihood that they wanted to lose weight. In addition, 48·2 % of the female college students desired to lose weight and 14·4 % desired weight gain, indicating a certain level of body dissatisfaction.ConclusionsWith low levels of overweight and obesity and a propensity towards eating based on external hunger cues, college-aged Jordanian women may be less advanced in their development through the nutrition transition than the general population of women. However, high levels of restrained eating and disordered eating attitudes and behaviours indicate the need for an intervention to address healthy weight-loss strategies, assess eating disorders and help maintain healthy body esteem.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
M.J. Soares ◽  
B. Maia ◽  
A.T. Pereira ◽  
A. Gomes ◽  
M. Marques ◽  
...  

Aim:To investigate the role of perfectionism in the development of disordered eating behaviours.Method:382 female university students completed the Hewitt & Flett MPS and the EAT-40 at baseline, one year after (T1) and two years later (T2).Results:Perfectionism at baseline was significantly associated with long-term abnormal eating attitudes/behaviours. Self-Oriented Perfectionism (SOP) and Socially Prescribed Perfectionism (SPP) were significant predictors of disordered eating behaviours. SOP at baseline was predictive of diet concerns, at T1 and T2. Baseline SPP was correlated with overall eating disturbance at T1 and T2. Regression analysis revealed that only SPP was a significant predictor of bulimic behaviours and social pressure to eat at T1, but not at T2.Conclusion:Our findings contribute to a more clear understanding of the association between perfectionism and eating disorders. SOP and SPP were prospectively associated with abnormal eating attitudes/behaviours and SOP was found to be predictive of diet concerns.


1991 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 462-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas K. Miller ◽  
John E. Morley ◽  
Laurence Z. Rubenstein ◽  
Fern M. Pietruszka

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