Self-esteem, personality, and eating disorders: baseline assessment of a prospective population-based cohort.
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship of self-esteem and personality factors with eating disorders (ED).


METHODS
A region-wide representative sample of 2862 girls 12-21 years old from Navarre (Spain) participated in the baseline assessment of a prospective study. A two-stage procedure was used, consisting in a first screening phase followed by a psychiatrist interview (DSM-IV criteria). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association of self-esteem (36-item scale) and personality characteristics (Eysenck inventory) with psychiatrist-diagnosed ED while controlling for potential confounders.


RESULTS
Strong associations for ED were found with low self-esteem (adjusted odds ratio [adjOR] for the lowest quartile: 7.98, 95% CI: 3.4-18.8) and high levels of neuroticism (adjOR for the highest quartile: 9.49, 95% Cl: 3.7-24.5).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results, although based on a cross-sectional design, support the potential role of neuroticism and low self-esteem in the onset of ED.
Gual
Pilar
P
Department of Psychiatry, International University of Catalonia (UIC), Barcelona, Spain.
Pérez-Gaspar
Marta
M
Martínez-González
Miguel Angel
MA
Lahortiga
Francisca
F
de Irala-Estévez
Jokin
J
Cervera-Enguix
Salvador
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D010551:Personality; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology