title: Sex differences in psychosocial impairment associated with eating disorder features in adolescents: A school-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine sex differences in psychosocial impairment associated with eating disorder features (EDF) in adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires that assessed EDF (extreme dietary restriction, objective binge eating, subjective binge eating, purging, excessive exercise, and weight/shape overvaluation) and psychosocial impairment (general psychological distress and quality of life) were completed by a school-based sample of adolescent males (n = 531) and females (n = 1135) in the Australian Capital Territory region of Australia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each of the EDF assessed was associated with significant impairment in both male and female participants and this was the case for measures of both general psychological distress and quality of life, the only exception being that subjective binge eating was associated with elevated levels of distress in girls but not boys. The occurrence of subjective binge eating was associated with greater impairment in quality of life in girls than in boys. Otherwise, the effects of EDF on psychosocial functioning did not differ by sex. The prevalence of most EDF was higher in girls than in boys, although EDF were not uncommon in boys.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There appear to be few differences between male and female adolescents in terms of psychosocial impairment associated with EDF. The findings support the need for preventive interventions that seek to reduce the adverse impact of EDF in both boys and girls. The logistic and policy challenges inherent in such efforts warrant greater consideration. Further research is needed to elucidate the help-seeking behavior of young men with EDF who experience psychosocial impairment.
authors: Research School of Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Bentley
authors: Research School of Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
authors: Kassandra
authors: K
authors: Gratwick-Sarll
authors: Research School of Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
authors: Carmel
authors: C
authors: Harrison
authors: Research School of Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.|Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Mond
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012574:Schools; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: adolescents; eating disorder features; psychosocial functioning; sex differences