Dissertations and Theses @ UNI
Availability
Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Keywords
Eating disorders--Sex differences; Eating disorders in men; Anxiety; Perfectionism (Personality trait);
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder are the three primary DSM-5-TR eating disorders of adolescence and adulthood. However, maladaptive eating behaviors can cause impairment even without meeting threshold for one of these diagnoses; this is considered disordered eating. There is a large gender difference in the prevalence of these issues, such that women are 10 times more likely to be affected. DSM-5-TR criteria were developed using research primarily conducted with women participants, which potentially contributes to the under-recognition of disordered eating in men. In the current study I first explored some potentially more appropriate disordered eating items to better understand men’s eating pathology. These muscularityoriented items seemed to capture a broader scope of disordered eating in men. Next, because anxiety disorders are frequently comorbid with eating disorders, and typically onset before an eating disorder, the current study also examined anxiety. Anxiety and eating pathology are common in people with high levels of perfectionism, especially maladaptive, self-oriented perfectionism. Thus, I examined the potentially moderating role of perfectionism between anxiety and disordered eating. I hypothesized that in people with elevated anxiety, the presence of perfectionism would increase disordered eating behavior. Although the three main variables of anxiety, perfectionism, and disordered eating were significant and positively correlated, perfectionism was not shown to be a moderator of anxiety and disordered eating. These results suggest a different format may better capture the relation between anxiety, perfectionism, and disordered eating. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.
Year of Submission
2023
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Department of Psychology
First Advisor
Elizabeth Lefler, Chair, Thesis Committee
Date Original
5-2023
Object Description
1 PDF file (vii, 91 pages)
Copyright
©2023 Karissa Jensen
Recommended Citation
Jensen, Karissa, "Disordered Eating, Anxiety, and Perfectionism Among Emerging Adult Men and Women" (2023). Dissertations and Theses @ UNI. 1332.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd/1332