title: An examination of the prospective impact of bulimic symptoms and dietary restraint on life hassles and social support.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The stress generation hypothesis posits that individuals with psychopathology engage in maladaptive behaviors that create stress. Although extensively researched in the depression literature, few studies have investigated whether the stress generation hypothesis applies to eating disorders. This study examined whether bulimic symptoms and dietary restraint predict future life hassles and low social support among undergraduate students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred seventy-four undergraduate students participated in this two-part prospective study through a secure online system. They completed questionnaires assessing depressive symptoms, bulimic symptoms, dietary restraint, life hassles, and social support.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regression analyses revealed that baseline bulimic symptoms predicted greater life hassles but not lower social support one month later, after statistically controlling for baseline measures. Baseline dietary restraint did not predict future life hassles or social support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Limitations include use of self-report measures, suboptimal response rates at the follow-up assessment, and use of a non-clinical sample with primarily White participants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide preliminary support for the stress generation hypothesis in relation to bulimic symptoms. Individuals with bulimic symptoms may generate stressors similar to those experiencing depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that emphasizing stress management in the treatment of individuals with bulimic symptoms could potentially improve treatment outcomes.
authors.affiliation: North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States. Electronic address: munyee.kwan@ndsu.edu.
authors.forename: Mun Yee
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.affiliation: North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States; Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Fargo, ND, United States.
authors.forename: Kathryn H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002032:Bulimia / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Bulimic symptoms; Dietary restraint; Life hassles; Social support; Stress generation