title: Early adversity, personal resources, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Early adverse experiences have been associated with disordered eating, but the mechanisms underlying that association are not well understood. The purpose of this study is to test a structural equation model in which early adversity is associated with disordered eating via intrapersonal resources, interpersonal resources, and body dissatisfaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female university students (n = 748) completed a series of questionnaires online, including measures of early adverse experiences, intrapersonal resources (self-esteem and personal growth initiative), interpersonal resources (gratitude and social support), body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating and exercising to lose weight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Structural equation modeling indicated that early adverse experiences were negatively associated with interpersonal and intrapersonal resources. Intrapersonal resources were negatively associated with body dissatisfaction, whereas interpersonal resources were positively associated with body dissatisfaction (although negative bivariate correlations in this latter case suggest possible suppression effects). Finally, body dissatisfaction was associated with a range of disordered eating behaviors and exercise.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early adverse experiences are important to consider in models of disordered eating. The results of this study highlight potential points of early prevention efforts, such as improving personal resources for those who experience early adversity, to help reduce the risk of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in young women.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Lenny R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Vartanian
authors.forename: Joshua M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zawadzki
authors.forename: Kristin E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Heron
authors.forename: Sulamunn R M
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Coleman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D015444:Exercise; D005195:Family Relations; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: body dissatisfaction; disordered eating; early adversity; interpersonal resources; intrapersonal resources