title: Self-efficacy beliefs and eating behavior in adolescent girls at-risk for excess weight gain and binge eating disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between self-related agency beliefs and observed eating behavior in adolescent girls with loss of control (LOC) eating.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred eleven adolescent girls (14.5 ± 1.7 years; BMI: 27.1 ± 2.6 kg/m(2)) were administered the General Self-Efficacy Scale and the Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire (WEL). Adolescents then participated in a laboratory test meal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Greater general and eating self-efficacy were associated with fewer episodes of LOC eating. General self-efficacy was inversely related to total intake at the meal (p < .01). Only the WEL availability subscale score, but not the other WEL subscales, was inversely related to total energy, snack, and dessert intake (ps < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General self-related agency beliefs may be important in relation to energy consumption. Among girls susceptible to disordered eating and obesity, the domain-specific belief in one's ability to refrain from eating when food is widely available may be especially salient in determining overeating in the current food environment. Further research is therefore needed to assess the predictive validity of these beliefs on eating and weight outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Deborah R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Glasofer
authors.forename: David A F
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Haaga
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hannallah
authors.forename: Sara E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Field
authors.forename: Merel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kozlosky
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Jack A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Yanovski
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanofsky-Kraff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000523:psychology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D020377:Self Efficacy; D015430:Weight Gain
keywords: adolescents; binge eating disorder; loss of control; obesity; self-efficacy; toxic food environment