A MEDIATIONAL MODEL OF AUTONOMY, SELF-ESTEEM, AND EATING-DISORDERED ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS

This study expands upon existing literature by examining how the relat ionship between autonomy deficits and low self-esteem may create a psy chological environment conducive to the development of eating disorder ed behaviors. Findings supported a mediational model to account for ea ting disordered behaviors in 71 college women. In this model, lack of autonomy was related to decreased global self-esteem, which in turn wa s associated with bulimia, body dissatisfaction, and drive for thinnes s. Although only tentative and cross-sectional in nature, this study i s of particular importance because it links autonomy and self-esteem i n a coherent model predictive of eating disordered behaviors in colleg e women. Developmental aspects of eating disorders and treatment impli cations are discussed.