Body image and personality predictors of eating disorder symptoms during the college years.
OBJECTIVE
Women entering college (N = 118) were longitudinally followed for 3 years with assessments of eating pathology (Restraint and Bulimia).


METHODS
Measures taken at Time 1 included timing of onset of puberty, Figure Dissatisfaction, Ineffectiveness, Public Self-Consciousness, and mood states (Profile of Mood States). Measures were evaluated as predictors of changes in Restraint and Bulimia scores across the three-year period.


RESULTS
Both Restraint (r = .69) and Bulimia (r = .50) were quite stable across the 3 years. Mean weight gain of 5.4 pounds (p < .001) was paralleled by an increase in "ideal weight" of 4.7 pounds. Hierarchical regressions controlling for Time 1 levels of eating disorder symptoms revealed that changes in Bulimia (R(2) = .38, p < .0001) were related to the psychological measures and to Figure Dissatisfaction. Changes in Restraint (R(2) = .61, p < .0001) were significantly related to Figure Dissatisfaction.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings are discussed in the context of the value of longitudinal designs in identifying risk factors. Dissatisfaction with one's figure seems to be consistently related to worsening eating pathology.
Cooley
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Department of Psychology, Western Oregon University, Monmouth, Oregon 97361, USA. cooleye@wou.edu
Toray
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors