Date of Award
2013
Publication Type
Master Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
Psychology
Keywords
Clinical psychology
Supervisor
Josee L. Jarry
Rights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Multiple factors contribute to the onset of eating disorders (EDs). Romantic stress is thought to be salient due to the importance of appearance in romantic attraction. Avoidance of stress has been specifically correlated to EDs. Avoidant coping is thought to potentiate effects of romantic stress, but only for individuals who base their self-worth on their appearance. This is the first study to investigate the association between avoidant coping style, romantic stress, basing self-worth on one's appearance, and the impact of these factors on the outcome variables of ED symptom severity, ED attitudes, and body dissatisfaction. Three hundred female undergraduates completed an online questionnaire. As predicted, avoidant coping was positively correlated with ED attitudes, and increased self-evaluative salience and elevated romantic stress led to the highest levels of ED attitudes. Contrary to predictions, this non-clinical sample did not engage in disordered eating behaviour as a means of avoidant coping.
Recommended Citation
Yu, Joyce Wing-Yan, "An investigation of eating disorder behaviour as a means of avoidant coping with romantic stress for women high in self-evaluative salience" (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4752.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/4752