SEX-ROLE ORIENTATION AND DISORDERED EATING IN WOMEN - A REVIEW

Researchers and clinicians assert that there is an association between femininity and eating disorders, particularly anorexia nervosa and bu limia nervosa. This article evaluates the validity of the two major th eories positing such an association, Boskind-Lodahl's femininity theor y and Steiner-Adair's discrepancy theory, by reviewing relevant resear ch. This examination reveals that the relationship between sex role or ientation and disordered eating is both complex and unclear, and is af fected by the methodological sophistication of the study designs, the construct validity of the measures, and presence of moderator variable s. Moreover, complexity of the relationship between sex role orientati on and disordered eating is heightened by lack of concurrence in the d efinition of constructs of masculinity and femininity.