Parents as Protective Factors in Eating Problems of College Women

Abstract

This study examined how parents can protect their college-aged daughters from disordered eating. Specifically, the influence of the following variables on disordered eating was investigated: parental emotional availability and acceptance, parents' critical messages about weight and shape, acceptance of sociocultural attitudes about appearance, self-esteem, and early menarche. Participants included a random sample of 211 female undergraduates who completed an Internet questionnaire. Using multiple regression, messages heard from mothers and fathers were found to contribute to disordered eating, and sociocultural attitudes acted as a mediator for the effects of mothers' and fathers' messages on disordered eating. Implications are discussed.

This article is based on the dissertation of the first author, under the guidance of the second author. A poster based on this study was presented in August 2006 at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association in New Orleans, LA.