title: Personal identities and disordered eating behaviors in Mexican American women.
abstract: Eating disorder behaviors are prevalent in Latina populations. This study tested Schwartz's (2006) theoretical view that a broad array of personal identities serves as an internal resource during acculturation and prevents internalization of dysfunctional weight related beliefs. Sixty-six Mexican American women completed measures of personal identities, fat self-definition, eating disorder symptoms and acculturation. Results show that few positive and many negative personal identities predict higher eating disorder scores and effects are mediated through the fat self-definition. Characteristics of personal identities may influence internalization of cultural values related to weight. Interventions focused on overall identity may prevent eating disorders in Latinas.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan School of Nursing, 400 N. Ingalls, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States. kfarchau@umich.edu
authors.forename: Karen Farchaus
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Corte
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Ronis
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D001835:Body Weight; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology*; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult