title: Restraint feeds stress: The relationship between eating disorder symptoms, stress generation, and the interpersonal theory of suicide.
abstract: Integrating research on stress generation and the interpersonal theory of suicide we examined whether eating disorder symptoms are related to stress generation and whether negative life events (stressors) contribute to feelings of burdensomeness and low belongingness. At two time points (approximately 1month apart), participants (n=186; 75% female) completed questionnaires measuring eating disorder symptoms, negative life events, burdensomeness, and belongingness. Regression analyses indicated that while controlling for depression, anxiety, and baseline frequency of negative events, dietary restraint significantly predicted negative events at follow-up. Dietary restraint indirectly influenced higher levels of perceived burdensomeness and low belongingness through its influence on negative events. Thus, dietary restraint may contribute to stress generation, and in turn exacerbate feelings of burdensomeness and low belongingness, two important constructs of the interpersonal theory of suicide. Greater understanding of these factors could lead to more effective and targeted suicide interventions for individuals who restrict food intake.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Miami University, 90 N. Patterson Ave., Oxford, OH 45056, United States. Electronic address: dodddr@miamioh.edu.
authors.forename: Dorian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Miami University, 90 N. Patterson Ave., Oxford, OH 45056, United States. Electronic address: aprilsmith@miamioh.edu.
authors.forename: April
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States. Electronic address: bodell@psy.fsu.edu.
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bodell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012933:Social Identification; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dietary restraint; Eating disorders; Interpersonal theory of suicide; Stress generation; Suicidality; Suicide