ATTACHMENT STYLE AND WEIGHT CONCERNS IN PREADOLESCENT AND ADOLESCENT GIRLS

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the association bet ween attachment style and weight concerns, a major risk factor for eat ing disorders, in preadolescent and adolescent girls. Method: Three hu ndred and five female elementary and middle school students completed measures of attachment style and weight concerns. Results: Insecurely attached subjects reported higher weight concerns than did securely at tached subjects. A greater proportion of insecurely attached subjects obtained ''at risk'' weight concerns scores than securely attached sub jects. Discussion: The findings suggest that attachment style may play an important role in the development of weight concerns, which, in tu rn, have been shown to be associated with the onset of eating disorder s. (C) 1998 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.