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Self‐denigratory beliefs following sexual abuse: Association with the symptomatology of bulimic disorders
Author(s) -
Pitts Christopher,
Waller Glenn
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/1098-108x(199305)13:4<407::aid-eat2260130409>3.0.co;2-7
Subject(s) - psychology , psychopathology , sexual abuse , association (psychology) , eating disorders , clinical psychology , binge eating , self esteem , physical abuse , developmental psychology , poison control , injury prevention , medicine , psychotherapist , environmental health
Reported sexual abuse is associated with bulimic symptomatology. It has been suggested that this association might be due to impaired self‐esteem. However, from the evidence to date, it appears that general self‐esteem may be too “blunt” a construct, and that more specific psychological mediators need to be considered. This study compares the values of a measure of general self‐esteem and a measure of specific self‐denigratory beliefs consequent upon sexual abuse in predicting levels of eating psychopathology in eating‐disordered women. Self‐esteem was associated with the level of general eating attitudes, whereas specific self‐denigratory beliefs were associated with the frequency of vomiting. Neither variable adequately predicted the frequency of hinging. © 1993 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.