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Adolescents' weight, sex, and family functioning
Author(s) -
Mendelson Beverley K.,
White Donna R.
Publication year - 1995
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(199501)17:1<73::aid-eat2260170110>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - underweight , overweight , psychology , developmental psychology , normal weight , obesity , style (visual arts) , clinical psychology , medicine , endocrinology , archaeology , history
The study explored family functioning with adolescents of varying weight. The participants were 572 adolescents (286 boys and 286 girls) (M = 15.7 years, SD = 1.04) who comprised four weight groups: underweight (less than 90% expected weight), normal weight (90 to 110%), overweight (111 to 125%), and obese (over 125%). They completed 9 of the 15 subscales of the Self‐Report Measure of Family Functioning pertaining to family styles (e.g., Authoritarian) and relationships (e.g., Conflict, Enmeshment). Obese girls rated their families lower on Cohesion, Expressiveness, and Democratic Family Style. Obese and moderately overweight girls seem to perceive their families differently. Obese and overweight boys did not differ from normal weight boys on any of the measures. There was a tendency for underweight boys to report lower Cohesion, Expressiveness, and Democratic Family Style. The need to consider family environment, particularly the family's differing expectations for obese daughters and underweight sons, is discussed with reference to treatment. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.