Ej. Button et al., SELF-ESTEEM, EATING PROBLEMS, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN A COHORT OF SCHOOLGIRLS AGED 15-16 - A QUESTIONNAIRE AND INTERVIEW STUDY, The International journal of eating disorders, 21(1), 1997, pp. 39-47
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the extent of eating proble
ms and their association with self-esteem in girls aged 15-16. Method:
Six hundred and nine schoolgirls aged 15-16 completed a questionnaire
examining eating behavior, sell-esteem, and general psychological wel
l-being. A subsample of 31 girls was subsequently interviewed in terms
of eating behavior and sell-esteem. Results: The questionnaire findin
gs revealed that 56% of girls felt too fat and had used some form of w
eight control strategy. In addition, 32% scored above the Hospital Anx
iety and Depression Scale (HADS) threshold for anxiety and 43% reached
the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale criterion for low self-esteem Intervi
ews confirmed that those showing abnormal eating behavior in the quest
ionnaires did indeed show greater eating pathology as well as lower se
lf-esteem Interviews also revealed that those with high levels of eati
ng concern showed greater levels of global self-dissatisfaction and hi
gher dissatisfaction with their physical appearance and family relatio
nships. Discussion: The results suggest that preventative intervention
s targeted at girls with low self-esteem may be appropriate. (C) 1997
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.