Effects of a cognitive dissonance-based eating disorder prevention program are similar for Asian American, Hispanic, and White participants.
OBJECTIVE
This study explored the effects of participating in a dissonance-based eating disorder prevention program on changes in thin ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, and eating symptoms among White, Asian American, and Hispanic participants.


METHODS
Participants were (n = 394), 13 to 20-year-old adolescent girls and young women who reported being White (n = 311), Hispanic/Latina (n = 61), or Asian-American/Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (n = 33). The current study used data drawn from the pre- and post assessments of an efficacy trial and an effectiveness trial of this eating disorder prevention program.


RESULTS
The intervention reduced disordered eating behaviors and eating disorder risk factors for all three ethnic groups at post-intervention assessment; there was no evidence of significantly stronger effects in any particular ethnic group.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that a cognitive dissonance-based prevention program for eating disorders may be equally effective for Asian American, Hispanic, and White adolescent women.
Facultad de Psicologia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
Rosalía
R
Rodriguez
Erica
E
Marchand
Janet
J
Ng
Eric
E
Stice
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology; D001828:Body Image; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003073:Cognitive Dissonance; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015205:Northwestern United States; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015206:Southwestern United States; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology