title: Personal standards, self-evaluation and perceived benefits of thinness in girls and young women with disturbed eating.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine personal standards, self-evaluation and perceived benefits of thinness in Swedish females 14-21 years with disturbed eating (DE) and to compare these to a group with other psychosocial problems and to a symptom free group. Seventy subjects with DE-group, 65 subjects with psychosocial problems and 70 symptom free subjects were compared regarding items selected from four questionnaires. High personal standards expressed in a competitive way were specific for the DE-group. In comparison with the other groups the DE-group also reported significantly more perceived benefits of thinness and they more frequently believed that thinness would make them more popular. The DE-group also reported a more negative self-evaluation, although this was a trait shared with the subjects with other psychosocial problems and consequently not specific for the DE-group. Identifying specific factors that perpetuate DE habits is important in order to improve our understanding and enhance the treatment of eating disorders.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Medical Sciences, Psychiatric Research Centre, Orebro University, Orebro, Sweden. sanna.aila-gustafsson@orebroll.se
authors.forename: Sanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aila Gustafsson
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Edlund
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kjellin
authors.forename: Claes
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Norring
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010349:Patient Compliance; D018579:Patient Selection; D010465:Perception; D010551:Personality; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013851:Thinness / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult