title: Family Relations and Psychopathology: Examining Depressive and Bulimic Symptomatology.
abstract: Despite early theories suggesting that family dysfunction (FD) may cause disordered eating, FD has been linked with other disorders and is a non-specific risk factor for disordered eating. We examined one potential model of the way FD relates to disordered eating, drawing on research that identified depression as a risk factor for bulimia. We examined whether depression symptoms (DEPs) partially mediated the relationship between family cohesion (as a measure of FD) and bulimic symptoms (BNs) using a sample of 215 never-married college women under age 20. Perceptions that one's family was less cohesive (or more disengaged) was associated with increased DEPs and BNs. Moreover, DEPs partially mediated the influence of cohesion on BNs through a significant indirect effect. Both family systems in general and treatment of mood difficulties may be important considerations in the prevention of disordered eating, and prevention efforts that include family relationships should be experimentally explored.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA. ask0002@auburn.edu.|Special Education, Rehabilitation, and Counseling, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA. ask0002@auburn.edu.
authors.forename: Annette S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kluck
authors.affiliation: Special Education, Rehabilitation, and Counseling, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA.|VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, USA.
authors.forename: Starla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dallesasse
authors.affiliation: Special Education, Rehabilitation, and Counseling, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA.|Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: English
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D002032:Bulimia / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bulimic symptoms; Depression; Family cohesion