| Female undergraduate psychology students (N = 163) participated in a study investigating which of 15 independent variables would be most associated with scores on the Eating Disorder Examination. Participants filled out retrospective questionnaires asking about 15 different childhood risk factors for disordered eating. It was hypothesized that childhood obesity and the presence of a relative with an eating disorder would have the strongest associations to scores on the Eating Disorder Examination. However, peer influence, family climate, self-esteem, and to some extent maternal obesity, had the strongest associations with Eating Disorder Examination Scores. The hypothesis that an increased number of risk factors would be correlated with higher scores on the Eating Disorder Examination was supported. Results are discussed in terms of implications for prevention programs and screening measures for disordered eating. A sociocultural model is supported by these results suggesting that intervention would be most effective if the focus was on both increasing an individual's resistance to social pressure to be thin and on decreasing the strength and number of the sociocultural messages by educating peers and family as to their harmful effects. The positive correlation between number of risk factors and scores on the Eating Disorder Examination could be useful in identifying high-risk individuals. As well, it suggests that while intervention may focus on reducing the dynamic sociocultural risk factors, intervention in other areas could also be of use. |
