Hunger for Grace: The Association between Eating Disorders and Religiousness

• Main Author: Lydecker, Janet
• Format: Others
• Published: VCU Scholars Compass 2010
• Subjects: eating disorders; religion; health; psychology; body image; belief; Psychology; Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Online Access: http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/2039; http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3038&context=etd

Religiousness is one potential, understudied psychosocial correlate of eating disorders. To assess associations between religiousness and eating disorders, this study developed the Religious Attendance and Belief Scale (Rel-AB), and examined its psychometric properties. Women from a large population-based sample (N = 1510; M(age) = 42.5) completed subscales measuring (1) belief in a personal and loving God, and (2) attendance at religion-related activities, as well as eating disorder measures. Belief was negatively associated with eating disorder symptomatology among women meeting broadly defined criteria for bulimia nervosa. Eating disorders and religiousness were not associated in the overall sample, and associations were largely nonsignificant among participants meeting criteria for other eating disorders. Overall, results indicated that the Rel-AB Scale has good psychometric properties and is useful for the assessment of religiousness in both research and treatment settings. The utility of including religiousness in the conceptualization of an individual and potential treatment options is discussed.