title: Body dissatisfaction in women with eating disorders: relationship to early separation anxiety and insecure attachment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been suggested that an insecure style of attachment may be one of the factors implicated in the etiology of body dissatisfaction, which, in turn, is a risk factor for eating disorders. The present study analyzed the association among early separation anxiety, insecure attachment, and body dissatisfaction in a clinical sample of 96 women with anorexia nervosa (n = 31) or bulimia nervosa (n = 65).
  
  
  METHODS
  Body dissatisfaction was measured using the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), early separation anxiety was measured using the Separation Anxiety Symptom Inventory (SASI), and adult attachment style was measured using the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both anorectic and bulimic women, BSQ scores were strongly correlated with SASI and ASQ scores. In a hierarchical regression model controlling for the confounding effects of body mass index and depressive symptoms, early separation anxiety and preoccupied attachment emerged as significant predictors of high levels of body dissatisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the cross-sectional findings of this study, insecure attachment appears to be a consistent correlate of negative body image evaluations in women with either anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. If future prospective studies will confirm that an insecure style of attachment plays a role in promoting the development of body dissatisfaction, prevention and treatment of disordered eating pathology might be enhanced by focusing greater attention on attachment relationships.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Rome Tor Vergata, via Guattani 14, 00161 Rome, Italy. alfonso.troisi@uniroma2.it
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Troisi
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Lorenzo
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alcini
authors.forename: Roberta Croce
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Nanni
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Pasquale
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siracusano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009769:Object Attachment; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012737:Sex Factors