Date of Award

1-1-2015

Language

English

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

College/School/Department

Department of Psychology

Program

Clinical Psychology

Content Description

1 online resource (ii, 39 pages)

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

Drew A Anderson

Committee Members

James F Boswell

Keywords

College students, Eating disorders, Binge drinking

Subject Categories

Clinical Psychology

Abstract

Compensatory eating behaviors (e.g., vomiting; caloric restriction) related to alcohol consumption may lead to both hazardous drinking as well as disordered eating (e.g., Barry & Piazza-Gardner, 2012; Eisenberg & Fitz 2014). Motivation for compensatory behaviors may differ; some of these behaviors may be more related to eating pathology (e.g., weight and shape concerns), or more related to alcohol (e.g., enhancing alcohol effects). What remains less well understood is whether motivation based on alcohol enhancement is associated specifically with reported eating disorder symptoms, and whether this relation may differ according to sex. An undergraduate sample (N = 530, 48% female) completed the Eating Disorders Diagnostic Scale, and Compensatory Eating Behaviors in Response to Alcohol Consumption Scale. Results indicated that females were more likely to endorse elevated scores on both measures. For both sexes, elevated body mass index led to greater association of compensatory behaviors with eating disorder symptoms; for women, bulimic behavior that was reported as related to alcohol use, and for men, reported dietary restraint and increased exercise related to alcohol use were significantly related to eating disorder pathology. Further investigation of these associations may ultimately help to determine if the compensatory behavior combination is best conceptualized as an eating disorder, an alcohol-use disorder, or a problem of its own merit.

Download

Share

COinS