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A meta‐analytic examination of the relationship between child sexual abuse and eating disorders
Author(s) -
Smolak Linda,
Murnen Sarah K.
Publication year - 2002
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/eat.10008
Subject(s) - eating disorders , binge eating , psychology , meta analysis , clinical psychology , sexual abuse , child sexual abuse , developmental psychology , poison control , human factors and ergonomics , medicine , environmental health
Objective This study had two goals. The first was to assess the magnitude and consistency of the relationship between child sexual abuse (CSA) and eating disorders (ED). The second was to examine methodological factors contributing to the heterogeneity of this relationship. Method Meta‐analysis was used to examine both questions. Fifty‐three studies were included in the analysis. Results A small, significant positive relationship between CSA and ED emerged. The relationship was marked by heterogeneity. Effect sizes were largest when CSA was the grouping variable, the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI) or the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) was used as the measure of eating disorders, and nonclinical groups were compared with clinical samples. Discussion Models of CSA and ED need to more clearly specify what aspects of ED (e.g., body image or binge eating) are most influenced by which types of CSA. These specific relationships then need to be examined empirically. © 2002 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 31: 136–150, 2002; DOI 10.1002/eat.10008