Sex-role conflict in women with eating disorders

Abstract

Sex‐role conflict has been thought to influence the etiology and course of anorexia nervosa and bulimia in women. The present study used the Bern Sex‐Role Inventory and a sex role satisfaction questionnaire to compare sex‐role conflict among anorexic, bulimic and control groups. Conflict was defined as the discrepancy between actual and ideally perceived sex‐role identity. No significant differences were found among the groups, although all three reported conflict about their sex‐role identity. Anorexic and bulimic women thought their sex‐role conflict was related to their illness. Support for the feminist hypothesis that bulimic women seek femininity was suggested. Anorexic women presented a much more heterogenous group such that no particular perspective was supported.

Relationship of body-image distortion to sex-role identifications, irrational cognitions, and body weight in eating-disordered females

“…The Bem yields confusing results with EDs. Some studies find anorexics to be "hyperfeminine" (Sitnick & Katz, 1984) and bulimics to be maladjusted (Lewis & Johnson, 1985); others find no abnormalities among anorexics or bulimics (Dunn & Ondercin, 1981; Cantelon, Leichner, & Harper, 1986). We speculated that "overestimators" might, nonetheless, exhibit sex-role identification problems.…”

Relationship of body-image distortion to sex-role identifications, irrational cognitions, and body weight in eating-disordered females

“…The Bem yields confusing results with EDs. Some studies find anorexics to be "hyperfeminine" (Sitnick & Katz, 1984) and bulimics to be maladjusted (Lewis & Johnson, 1985); others find no abnormalities among anorexics or bulimics (Dunn & Ondercin, 1981; Cantelon, Leichner, & Harper, 1986). We speculated that "overestimators" might, nonetheless, exhibit sex-role identification problems.…”

Persönliche Kinderwunschmotive und Einstellungen zum Kinderwunsch essgestörter Frauen - Indikatoren für Geschlechtsrollenkonflikte?

“…Mehrere Studien sprechen für eine Überidentifikation von Bulimikerinnen [9,10] und Anorektikerinnen [11] mit Attributen der traditionellen weiblichen Geschlechtsrolle. Diesbezüglich zeigte sich bei einer Studie von Snyder u. Hasbrouck [12], dass an traditionellen Geschlechtsrollenkonzepten orientierte Frauen selbstunsicherer, mit ihrem Gewicht und ihrer Figur unzufriedener waren, sich stärker am Schlankheitsideal orientierten und mehr bulimische Tendenzen aufwiesen.…”

Relationship of gender discrepancy to psychological correlates of disordered eating in female undergraduates.

“…These studies provide initial support for the concept of gender discrepancy and its relationship to disordered eating. Still, the need for additional research has been suggested before it can be used in assessing disordered eating or targeted for counseling interventions (Cantelon, Leichner, & Harper, 1986). A reason for further study concerns the conceptualization of the construct “gender discrepancy.” Most studies have oversimplified the construct by considering only one dimension of gender, that is, examining actual-ideal differences separately for masculinity and femininity.…”

Relationship of body-image distortion to sex-role identifications, irrational cognitions, and body weight in eating-disordered females

“…The Bem yields confusing results with EDs. Some studies find anorexics to be "hyperfeminine" (Sitnick & Katz, 1984) and bulimics to be maladjusted (Lewis & Johnson, 1985); others find no abnormalities among anorexics or bulimics (Dunn & Ondercin, 1981; Cantelon, Leichner, & Harper, 1986). We speculated that "overestimators" might, nonetheless, exhibit sex-role identification problems.…”

Persönliche Kinderwunschmotive und Einstellungen zum Kinderwunsch essgestörter Frauen - Indikatoren für Geschlechtsrollenkonflikte?

“…Mehrere Studien sprechen für eine Überidentifikation von Bulimikerinnen [9,10] und Anorektikerinnen [11] mit Attributen der traditionellen weiblichen Geschlechtsrolle. Diesbezüglich zeigte sich bei einer Studie von Snyder u. Hasbrouck [12], dass an traditionellen Geschlechtsrollenkonzepten orientierte Frauen selbstunsicherer, mit ihrem Gewicht und ihrer Figur unzufriedener waren, sich stärker am Schlankheitsideal orientierten und mehr bulimische Tendenzen aufwiesen.…”

Relationship of gender discrepancy to psychological correlates of disordered eating in female undergraduates.

“…These studies provide initial support for the concept of gender discrepancy and its relationship to disordered eating. Still, the need for additional research has been suggested before it can be used in assessing disordered eating or targeted for counseling interventions (Cantelon, Leichner, & Harper, 1986). A reason for further study concerns the conceptualization of the construct “gender discrepancy.” Most studies have oversimplified the construct by considering only one dimension of gender, that is, examining actual-ideal differences separately for masculinity and femininity.…”

Relationship of body-image distortion to sex-role identifications, irrational cognitions, and body weight in eating-disordered females

“…The Bem yields confusing results with EDs. Some studies find anorexics to be "hyperfeminine" (Sitnick & Katz, 1984) and bulimics to be maladjusted (Lewis & Johnson, 1985); others find no abnormalities among anorexics or bulimics (Dunn & Ondercin, 1981; Cantelon, Leichner, & Harper, 1986). We speculated that "overestimators" might, nonetheless, exhibit sex-role identification problems.…”

Persönliche Kinderwunschmotive und Einstellungen zum Kinderwunsch essgestörter Frauen - Indikatoren für Geschlechtsrollenkonflikte?

“…Mehrere Studien sprechen für eine Überidentifikation von Bulimikerinnen [9,10] und Anorektikerinnen [11] mit Attributen der traditionellen weiblichen Geschlechtsrolle. Diesbezüglich zeigte sich bei einer Studie von Snyder u. Hasbrouck [12], dass an traditionellen Geschlechtsrollenkonzepten orientierte Frauen selbstunsicherer, mit ihrem Gewicht und ihrer Figur unzufriedener waren, sich stärker am Schlankheitsideal orientierten und mehr bulimische Tendenzen aufwiesen.…”

Relationship of gender discrepancy to psychological correlates of disordered eating in female undergraduates.

“…These studies provide initial support for the concept of gender discrepancy and its relationship to disordered eating. Still, the need for additional research has been suggested before it can be used in assessing disordered eating or targeted for counseling interventions (Cantelon, Leichner, & Harper, 1986). A reason for further study concerns the conceptualization of the construct “gender discrepancy.” Most studies have oversimplified the construct by considering only one dimension of gender, that is, examining actual-ideal differences separately for masculinity and femininity.…”