Refining the relationships of perfectionism, self-efficacy, and stress to dieting and binge eating: Examining the appearance, interpersonal, and academic domains.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated domain-specific (appearance, interpersonal, and academic) interactive relationships of perfectionism, self-efficacy, and stress to dieting and binge eating, positing that the level of weight/shape self-efficacy would be pivotal in identifying elevated dieting versus elevated binge eating.


METHODS
Participants were 406 randomly selected undergraduate women. At two time points (T1 and T2), 11 weeks apart, participants completed measures of dieting and binge eating attitudes/behaviors as well as domain-specific measures of perfectionism and self-efficacy (e.g., perfectionism related to appearance). Between T1 and T2, participants completed inventories weekly on the previous week's weight/shape, interpersonal, and academic stressors.


RESULTS
The combination of high interpersonal perfectionism, low interpersonal self-efficacy, high interpersonal stress, and high weight/shape self-efficacy was associated with the most elevated dieting. The hypothesized interactions related to the appearance and academic domains where not supported.


CONCLUSIONS
These results highlight the interpersonal context for dieting and the unique relationship between weight/shape self-efficacy and dieting.
Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA.
Angela S
AS
Cain
Anna M
AM
Bardone-Cone
Lyn Y
LY
Abramson
Kathleen D
KD
Vohs
Thomas E
TE
Joiner
D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012928:Social Desirability; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult