Weight‐related and shape‐related self‐evaluation in eating‐disordered and non–eating‐disordered women

Abstract

These findings support a multidimensional approach to weight-related self-evaluation and further our understanding of the process of weight-related self-evaluation in eating-disordered patients.

State self‐esteem ratings in women with bulimia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in remission

“…SSES scores for control participants in the current study were comparable to previously reported scores for a college age population and controls characterized as unrestrained eaters. 4,22 A notable new finding in the current study is that for individuals who had achieved sustained remission from BN and were free of major depression, self-esteem remained low in comparison to healthy controls. Although not observed in the present data, future studies with larger sample size may show a relationship between duration of remission and improved self-esteem.…”

The significance of overvaluation of shape and weight in binge eating disorder

“…DSM-IV's later refinement of this criterion to the more stringent overvaluation of shape and weight criterion purportedly reflects that the "critical disturbance is the undue influence of body shape and weight on selfesteem" (Walsh, 1992). Indeed, this distinction is supported by evidence that overvaluation of shape and weight discriminates individuals with eating disorders from healthy controls (Goldfein, Walsh, & Midlarsky, 2000;McFarlane, McCabe, Jarry, Olmsted, & Polivy, 2001), whereas body dissatisfaction and shape and weight concerns are less discriminating (Garfinkel et al, 1992;Hadigan & Walsh, 1991). Although BED is a relatively new diagnostic entity, a great deal of empirical work has already focused on the nature of body image disturbance in BED.…”

Body weight and body image

“…[19,20] For many women, self-esteem becomes tied to weight and shape, and negative feelings about the body generalize to the entire self. [21] This over-investment in thinness is a risk factor for the development of a serious eating disorder. [22] Women who are at particular risk include those with perfectionistic tendencies, those with very low selfesteem, and those who suffer from other psychiatric conditions such as anxiety or depression.…”