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Childhood sexual and physical abuse in Spanish female undergraduates: Does it affect eating disturbances?
Author(s) -
Villarroel Ana M.,
Penelo Eva,
Portell Mariona,
Raich Rosa M.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
european eating disorders review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.511
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1099-0968
pISSN - 1072-4133
DOI - 10.1002/erv.1086
Subject(s) - eating disorders , affect (linguistics) , sexual abuse , psychology , clinical psychology , physical abuse , psychiatry , human factors and ergonomics , developmental psychology , medicine , poison control , medical emergency , communication
Objective To assess the relationship between childhood sexual and physical abuse, and key attitudinal and behavioural aspects of eating disorders (ED). Method Participants included 708 female undergraduates in a Spanish public university, aged from 18 to 30. Abuse was measured by the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire, and ED by the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE‐Q). Results 14.3% of the sample had suffered childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and 3.8% childhood physical abuse (CPA). With respect to ED attitudinal features, we observed an increased Weight Concern score among CSA survivors. No association was found between this kind of abuse and disordered eating behaviours, after adjusting for depression, anxiety, self‐esteem, body mass index, age and socioeconomic status. An inverse relationship was found between CPA and ED attitudes measured by EDE‐Q (Restraint, Weight Concern, Shape Concern and the Overall Score), whereas no association was found with the behavioural aspects of eating disturbances. Discussion After controlling for different risk factors, CSA appears to be related to an increased Weight Concern, whilst other ED attitudinal features and behaviours do not seem to be related to childhood abuse. The inverse relationship found is discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.