The relationship between two-dimensional self-esteem and problem solving style in an anorexic inpatient sample.
OBJECTIVE
Research examining cognitive and behavioural determinants of anorexia is currently lacking. This has implications for the success of treatment programmes for anorexics, particularly, given the high reported dropout rates. This study examines two-dimensional self-esteem (comprising of self-competence and self-liking) and social problem-solving in an anorexic population and predicts that self-esteem will mediate the relationship between problem-solving and eating pathology by facilitating/inhibiting use of faulty/effective strategies.


METHODS
Twenty-seven anorexic inpatients and 62 controls completed measures of social problem solving and two-dimensional self-esteem.


RESULTS
Anorexics scored significantly higher than the non-clinical group on measures of eating pathology, negative problem orientation, impulsivity/carelessness and avoidance and significantly lower on positive problem orientation and both self-esteem components. In the clinical sample, disordered eating correlated significantly with self-competence, negative problem-orientation and avoidance. Associations between disordered eating and problem solving lost significance when self-esteem was controlled in the clinical group only. Self-competence was found to be the main predictor of eating pathology in the clinical sample while self-liking, impulsivity and negative and positive problem orientation were main predictors in the non-clinical sample.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings support the two-dimensional self-esteem theory with self-competence only being relevant to the anorexic population and support the hypothesis that self-esteem mediates the relationship between disordered eating and problem solving ability in an anorexic sample. Treatment implications include support for programmes emphasising increasing self-appraisal and self-efficacy.
Paterson
Gillian
G
Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK. gillian.paterson@tpct.scot.nhs.uk
Power
Kevin
K
Yellowlees
Alex
A
Park
Katy
K
Taylor
Louise
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011340:Problem Solving; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior