title: Comparative structural study of the configuration of coping strategies among female patients with eating disorders and a non-clinical control group.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this research was to assess the relationship between coping mechanisms and eating disorders as well as to determine coping strategies as predictors of eating disorders pathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 52 females meeting the DSM-IV criteria for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa and 55 university students. Assessment tools were the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Scale and the Stress Coping Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eating disorders were positively related to substance use, substitute gratification, avoidance, aggression, and drug use. Additionally, significant negative correlations were found between eating disorders and relaxation, planning, using instrumental support, acceptance as well as venting. The regression analysis revealed that eating disorders were positively associated with coping strategies focused on substance use and religion, and negatively associated with using emotional support, positive self-instructions and positive reframing. The non linear principal components analysis allowed for exploring similarities and differences in the latent structure of the configuration of coping strategies between the clinical group and the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since women with anorexia and bulimia nervosa apply emotion-focused coping strategies to manage their stress, psychotherapeutic intervention with these patients should focus on changing inappropriate coping mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Campus in Katowice, ul. Kossutha 9, 40-844 Katowice, Poland, abrytek-matera@swps.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brytek-Matera
authors.forename: Lony
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schiltz
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult