The differential associations of internalizing symptoms and family and school relationships with disordered eating attitudes among early adolescents

• Published in: Journal of social and personal relationships Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 41 - 56
• Main Authors: Cance, Jessica Duncan, Loukas, Alexandra, Talley, Anna E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-02-2015; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescence; Adolescents; Anxiety; Attitudes; Depression (Psychology); Eating Disorders; Families & family life; Family; Interpersonal relations; Peer relationships; Psychological Distress; School Environment; Schools; Social development; Students; Symptoms; Teenagers; family functioning; Adolescence; disordered eating attitudes; school climate; internalizing symptoms
• ISSN: 0265-4075; 1460-3608
• DOI: 10.1177/0265407514523551

Driven by the social development model, this study examines the associations of family functioning, school climate, and internalizing symptoms with disordered eating attitudes in early adolescence. Results from a representative sample of 848 sixth- and seventh-grade students indicate that disordered eating attitudes are positively correlated with family conflict and maternal psychological control and perceived friction and competition among classmates, in addition to female gender, depressive symptoms and social anxiety. Contrary to our hypotheses, perceived cohesion among classmates is positively associated with disordered eating attitudes. These findings highlight the importance of interpersonal relationships at the school and family level, as well as internalizing symptoms, in shaping disordered eating attitudes during adolescence.