Eating disorders and personal behavioral control

Objective. To explore the three components of personal behavioral control: Objective control, subjective control and control beliefs among normal wome n, women at risk of anorexia or bulimia and women with sub-clinical earing disorders. Material and methods. In 1997, a cross-sectional study was condu cted in Caracas,Venezuela. The study population consisted of 87 women: 21 w ith sub-clinical eating disorders, 33 at risk of having an eating disorder, and 33 normal women. Measurement instruments used were: Eating Attitude Te st, Composite International Diagnostic Interview, Self-control Inventory, I nventory for Perceived Self-efficacy for Self-control, and the toes of Cont rol Inventory. Data analysis consisted of analysis of variance, and post ho c comparisons were done with the Student-Neuman-Keuls test. Results. Women with sub-clinical eating disorders were found to have difficulty for behavi or self-control, lower self-efficacy to regulate their behavior, and belief s of control by powerful others over their behavior and its consequences. C onclusions. The results from this study are a first attempt to understand t he role of the psychological variable "personal control of behavior", as a protective or risk factor for developing sub-clinical anorexia or bulimia. The English version of this paper is available at: http://www.insp.mx/salud /index.html.