Psychological characteristics related to bulimia in early and late adolescent females

• Main Author: McLaughlin, Kimberly A.
• Other Authors: Psychology
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: Virginia Tech 2014
• Subjects: LD5655.V856 1990.M435; Adolescent psychology; Bulimia; Teenage girls > Psychology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/39946; http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-10192005-113250/

The majority of research dealing with the eating disorder of bulimia has focused on characteristics of college-aged women, with those findings forming a basis for treatment planning with younger, adolescent women. While research in recent years has begun to examine those characteristics specifically related to bulimia in adolescence, there has been a relative lack of consideration of the effect of the developmental stage of the individual on these psychological characteristics. Such differential characteristics, if found to be present, would have implications for both the prevention and treatment of bulimia in younger populations. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the concerns of high school and college females at high risk for bulimia at different developmental levels as well as to identify the psychological characteristics of high risk subjects across the age groups. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires assessing their self-perceptions on a variety of intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions. Individuals aged 12-14 who were also at high risk for bulimia reported greater levels of depression and more feelings of inefficacy than did older, high risk individuals. Across all ages, women at high risk for bulimia were more dissatisfied with their body shape, were more depressed, experienced more difficulty with peer and family relationships, and felt more alienated from others than did individuals at low risk for bulimia. These results were discussed within a developmental framework, and it was suggested that individuals who cannot come to terms with the multiple changes of adolescence are at increased risk for engaging in bulimic behavior. === Ph. D.