Comparison of eating disorders and other dietary/weight groups on measures of perceived control, assertiveness, self-esteem, and self-directed hostility

Abstract

Anorexic and bulimic patients were compared to obese dieters, nonobese dieters, and normal controls on measures of perceived control, assertiveness, self‐esteem, self‐directed hostility, and psychiatric caseness. The anorexic and bulimic groups both scored significantly differently in the expected direction from the other three groups on all measures. There were no significant differences between the anorexic and bulimic groups and in turn, no significant differences among the obese, nonobese dieters, and normal controls. Results are in keeping with the notion that perceived control, low assertiveness, low self‐esteem, and selfdirected hostility are characteristics of eating disorder patients that differentiate them from individuals who display dietary/weight features, as well as from normal controls. © 1993 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Psychological Correlates of Anorexic and Bulimic Symptomatology

“…In an attempt to correct the methodological weaknesses suggested in the Williams et al (1990) study, a similar investigation (Williams et al, 1993) was designed to compare anorexics and bulimics to obese dieters, nonobese dieters, and normal controls on many of the same variables (e.g., self-directed hostility, assertiveness, and locus of control). Williams et al (1993) also examined these groups in terms of self-esteem explaining that the results in the previous investigation suggested that eating disordered women would report lower self-esteem.…”

“…Williams et al (1993) also examined these groups in terms of self-esteem explaining that the results in the previous investigation suggested that eating disordered women would report lower self-esteem. Williams et al Prior research also has focused on personalityvariables present during the course of the disorders; therefore, it is not clear if these factors reflect underlying personality structures or merely symptoms related to the disorders.…”

“…Pope et al The purposes of conducting this study were twofold. First, in using the six psychological variables suggested by psychodynamic (e.g., Bruch, 1985) and feminist (e.g., Orbach, 1986) theory and empirically documented by Rogers and Petrie (1994) and Williams et al (1993), personality characteristics associated with individuals with eating disorders may be clarified within a theoretical context.…”

The self-schema model: A theoretical approach to the self-concept in eating disorders

“…In addition, they report lower global selfesteem than women without disorders (Attie & Brooks-Gunn, 1989;Huon & Brown, 1984;Williams, et al, 1993). However, with results similar to body-size overestimation, other populations of women have also been found to have high levels of body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem (Rodin, Silberstein, & Streigel-Moore, 1985).…”

The Body Project: A Narrative and Social Network Analysis

“…Participants vocalized a sense of needing to compensate in the body image domain when the academic domain felt threatened. This finding is consistent with eating disorder research that suggests that individuals with eating disorders display elevated levels of perceived control and low-self esteem (Williams et al, 1993). The idea of needing to compensate stemming from a core question of comparison and status with other people can be conceptualized as both an internalized and externalized presentational concern.…”