Premium
Self‐esteem and socialisation in social networks as determinants in adolescents' eating disorders
Author(s) -
Frieiro Paula,
GonzálezRodríguez Rubén,
DomínguezAlonso José
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
health and social care in the community
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.984
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1365-2524
pISSN - 0966-0410
DOI - 10.1111/hsc.13843
Subject(s) - multivariate analysis of variance , eating disorders , psychology , psychological intervention , clinical psychology , self esteem , mental health , scale (ratio) , eating attitudes test , developmental psychology , psychiatry , physics , quantum mechanics , machine learning , computer science
Eating disorders are mental health illnesses that are influenced by various individual, family and social factors. The present study aimed to examine the influence of self‐esteem and socialisation through social networks on eating disorder behaviours in adolescence. The sample was made up of 721 secondary school students (49.1% girls). The sample age ranged between 12 and 18 years ( M = 13.89, SD = 1.37). Participants completed the Eating Attitudes Test‐26 (EAT‐26) to measure disordered eating attitudes and behaviours, the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale and the ESOC‐39 scale, which measures socialisation through social networks, in addition to a brief initial sociodemographic survey. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were carried out with MANOVA. Low self‐esteem was shown to increase behaviours linked to eating disorders globally. Likewise, high socialisation through social networks was also associated with a general increase in eating disorders during adolescence. The findings of the study provide empirical support for the need to develop prevention strategies that address the improvement in self‐esteem and adequate socialisation through social networks during adolescence. The development of effective interventions along these lines could be helpful to treat the behaviours and attitudes that are observed in eating disorders.